Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur versus $955 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,685 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,409 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,862 in Kedah.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 17% more expensive than in Kedah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Kedah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 MYR 20.62

$3.44 MYR 13.98

47.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 MYR 119

$12.37 MYR 50.3

135.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.56

$4.92 MYR 20.00

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MYR 12.89

$2.79 MYR 11.37

13.62%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.32

$0.97 MYR 3.94

-15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.33 MYR 1.34

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$2.47 MYR 10.03

79.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 MYR 24.40

$4.34 MYR 17.67

38.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$2.45 MYR 9.97

-13.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.55

$1.70 MYR 6.92

23.53%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.12

$2.59 MYR 10.53

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 MYR 63.2

$15.46 MYR 62.9

0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 MYR 20.07

$5.16 MYR 20.98

-4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.17

$9.82 MYR 39.94

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.76

$2.38 MYR 9.68

42.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$1.53 MYR 6.22

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.71

$2.24 MYR 9.12

6.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.63

$1.21 MYR 4.92

34.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.55

$0.94 MYR 3.84

44.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$0.81 MYR 3.28

79.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.77 MYR 3.13

49.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.69 MYR 2.79

7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.96

$4.48 MYR 18.22

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 MYR 76.7

$21.57 MYR 87.8

-12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.42

$2.49 MYR 10.14

42.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.45

$3.61 MYR 14.68

39.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.72 MYR 2.92

6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.27 MYR 49.93

$12.16 MYR 49.48

0.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$0.51 MYR 2.09

141.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MYR 20.04

$6.74 MYR 27.41

-26.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.11

$0.64 MYR 2.61

18.75%

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

$42.8K MYR 174.0K

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

0.80%

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

$35.4K MYR 144.0K

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

25.77%

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

$63.5 MYR 258

$50.1 MYR 204

26.60%

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

$9.41 MYR 38.29

$8.22 MYR 33.46

14.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.74 MYR 109

$31.52 MYR 128

-15.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 MYR 205

$41.66 MYR 169

20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 MYR 31.07

$6.61 MYR 26.88

15.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 MYR 22.55

$4.67 MYR 18.99

18.63%

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

$302 MYR 1,230

$175 MYR 711

72.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K MYR 51.6K

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

158.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 299

$55.1 MYR 224

33.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 MYR 171

$35.44 MYR 144

18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MYR 361

$74.4 MYR 303

19.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 MYR 395

$70.5 MYR 287

37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MYR 2,470

$423 MYR 1,720

43.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MYR 1,492

$333 MYR 1,355

10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 MYR 4,933

$697 MYR 2,835

74.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,612

$492 MYR 2,002

30.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,079 MYR 16.6K

$2,052 MYR 8,347

98.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,246

$1,131 MYR 4,601

35.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,493 MYR 6,075

$1,313 MYR 5,343

13.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.43

-5.19%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Kuala Lumpur and $423 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $12.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $271 per month, with Kedah cheaper across the board.

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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuala Lumpur and Kedah differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,120 vs $955 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Kuala Lumpur versus $423 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $302 in Kuala Lumpur versus $175 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Kuala Lumpur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $955 in Kedah versus $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuala Lumpur and Kedah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.