Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $859 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,310 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,119 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,762 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 24% more than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Kangar, Perlis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 MYR 19.58

$3.52 MYR 14.36

36.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.03 MYR 114

$19.01 MYR 77.6

47.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.63

$4.83 MYR 19.72

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MYR 12.60

$2.77 MYR 11.30

11.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.72 MYR 2.95

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.40 MYR 1.62

32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.80

$3.44 MYR 14.06

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 MYR 24.13

$4.84 MYR 19.75

22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 8.08

$1.79 MYR 7.29

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$0.94 MYR 3.86

10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.29 MYR 5.26

29.46%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.29

$2.13 MYR 8.68

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.79 MYR 60.4

$15.14 MYR 61.8

-2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.46

$4.29 MYR 17.51

5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.67

$9.41 MYR 38.43

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MYR 11.58

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.39

$1.45 MYR 5.91

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$2.61 MYR 10.67

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.45 MYR 5.92

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.22

$1.18 MYR 4.83

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.52

$1.32 MYR 5.40

2.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.04 MYR 4.23

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.55 MYR 2.27

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$4.33 MYR 17.69

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.22 MYR 74.4

$16.63 MYR 67.9

9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.38

$2.82 MYR 11.51

16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.72

$3.01 MYR 12.30

44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 47.20

$11.69 MYR 47.73

-1.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.16 MYR 4.73

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.02 MYR 4.17

12.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.77

$5.80 MYR 23.67

-16.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.46 MYR 1.89

10.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.7K MYR 166.2K

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

14.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.3K MYR 132.0K

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

1.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$65.7 MYR 268

$42.93 MYR 175

52.95%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.50 MYR 46.95

$9.33 MYR 38.10

23.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MYR 103

$28.91 MYR 118

-12.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 MYR 185

$36.62 MYR 150

23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.72 MYR 31.51

$6.00 MYR 24.49

28.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.84

$4.86 MYR 19.86

4.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,088

$187 MYR 763

42.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,341 MYR 38.1K

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

37.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 MYR 249

$61.5 MYR 251

-0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 MYR 151

$27.36 MYR 112

35.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 354

$72.0 MYR 294

20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MYR 328

$51.3 MYR 210

56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 MYR 2,364

$394 MYR 1,609

46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,522

$268 MYR 1,096

38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 MYR 4,282

$646 MYR 2,639

62.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,629

$469 MYR 1,914

37.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 MYR 16.2K

$2,332 MYR 9,522

70.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 MYR 5,995

$1,271 MYR 5,191

15.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,589 MYR 6,487

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.07

9.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Kuala Lumpur versus $394 in Kangar, Perlis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $247 – making Kangar, Perlis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kuala Lumpur vs Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,069 in Kuala Lumpur, $859 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 24% apart. Kuala Lumpur costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,288 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Kuala Lumpur and $859 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,069. In Kangar, Perlis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kuala Lumpur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $859 in Kangar, Perlis to $1,069 in Kuala Lumpur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kangar, Perlis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.