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: $1,057 in Kuala Lumpur versus $845 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,324 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,190 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,803 in Kedah.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 25% more expensive than Kedah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 21% lower, Kedah 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 MYR 18.39

$2.97 MYR 11.73

56.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.64 MYR 113

$20.99 MYR 82.9

36.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.92

$4.25 MYR 16.81

12.71%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.27

$2.88 MYR 11.37

7.99%

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

$0.90 MYR 3.55

$0.69 MYR 2.71

30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.36 MYR 1.43

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 16.80

$4.28 MYR 16.91

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$4.39 MYR 17.34

32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.84 MYR 7.26

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.90 MYR 3.56

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.76

$1.16 MYR 4.59

47.41%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 8.89

$2.13 MYR 8.42

5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 MYR 58.7

$14.94 MYR 59.0

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.10

$5.16 MYR 20.37

-11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 37.78

$14.74 MYR 58.2

-35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 11.86

$2.87 MYR 11.34

4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.15

$1.21 MYR 4.77

28.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.69

$2.68 MYR 10.59

1.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.94

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.18 MYR 4.65

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.55

$1.22 MYR 4.80

15.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$0.95 MYR 3.75

24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.48 MYR 1.91

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.25

$4.19 MYR 16.57

-1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 MYR 74.0

$19.49 MYR 77.0

-3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.25

$2.65 MYR 10.47

26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$3.52 MYR 13.89

24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$0.72 MYR 2.85

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 45.83

$11.89 MYR 46.98

-2.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.70

$0.68 MYR 2.69

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.52

$0.47 MYR 1.84

144.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MYR 18.79

$6.95 MYR 27.47

-31.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 1.97

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

$39.4K MYR 155.8K

$33.2K MYR 131.3K

18.62%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.5K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

14.68%

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

$64.5 MYR 255

$38.58 MYR 152

67.11%

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

$11.67 MYR 46.09

$10.25 MYR 40.50

13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MYR 101

$11.73 MYR 46.35

117.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.58 MYR 180

$36.97 MYR 146

23.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 MYR 29.90

$5.79 MYR 22.85

30.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MYR 20.27

$2.87 MYR 11.33

78.75%

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

$266 MYR 1,051

$243 MYR 958

9.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,264 MYR 36.6K

$6,217 MYR 24.6K

49.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MYR 239

$53.9 MYR 213

12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 MYR 146

$29.08 MYR 115

27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MYR 336

$61.0 MYR 241

39.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MYR 313

$53.0 MYR 209

49.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 MYR 2,252

$387 MYR 1,528

47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,440

$268 MYR 1,061

35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 MYR 4,262

$638 MYR 2,519

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,554

$470 MYR 1,857

37.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,015 MYR 15.9K

$1,647 MYR 6,507

143.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,063

$1,008 MYR 3,983

52.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 MYR 6,151

$1,358 MYR 5,364

14.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.16

7.45%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kedah: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $570 in Kuala Lumpur and $387 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 15% 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 in Kuala Lumpur vs $21 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $273, with Kuala Lumpur cheaper for home cooking.

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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,057 vs $845 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kuala Lumpur pays 15% more on average, 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: $570 in Kuala Lumpur versus $387 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Kuala Lumpur versus $243 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kuala Lumpur pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $845 in Kedah versus $1,057 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 25% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.