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: $1,063 in Kuala Lumpur versus $857 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,327 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,148 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,798 in Kedah.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 24% more expensive than in Kedah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Kedah 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.65

$3.14 MYR 12.82

53.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.49 MYR 116

$21.57 MYR 88.2

32.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.66

$4.26 MYR 17.42

12.91%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.54

$2.94 MYR 12.02

4.42%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$0.74 MYR 3.02

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.33 MYR 1.37

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 17.22

$4.38 MYR 17.91

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 MYR 24.72

$4.32 MYR 17.67

40.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$1.83 MYR 7.47

8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$0.97 MYR 3.97

7.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.81

$1.16 MYR 4.75

43.97%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$2.04 MYR 8.32

10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 MYR 59.0

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 MYR 19.50

$5.00 MYR 20.44

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 MYR 40.33

$14.52 MYR 59.4

-32.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.77 MYR 11.31

6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.72

$1.21 MYR 4.95

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 11.10

$2.69 MYR 10.98

1.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.20

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-27.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.01

$1.19 MYR 4.88

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$1.21 MYR 4.94

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$0.97 MYR 3.96

25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$0.45 MYR 1.83

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.63

$4.15 MYR 16.96

3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 MYR 75.4

$19.04 MYR 77.8

-3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.42

$2.65 MYR 10.85

23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$3.54 MYR 14.46

21.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.70 MYR 2.86

5.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 48.66

$11.64 MYR 47.59

2.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.96

$0.73 MYR 3.00

65.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.50 MYR 2.04

118.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.75

$7.08 MYR 28.96

-31.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.50 MYR 2.04

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

$40.6K MYR 165.9K

$33.6K MYR 137.5K

20.70%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.6K

$27.8K MYR 113.6K

16.67%

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

$63.7 MYR 260

$38.56 MYR 158

65.15%

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

$11.37 MYR 46.48

$9.94 MYR 40.63

14.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.08 MYR 107

$11.76 MYR 48.07

121.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.62 MYR 191

$37.42 MYR 153

24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.00 MYR 32.71

$6.04 MYR 24.68

32.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MYR 21.54

$2.81 MYR 11.49

87.54%

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

$266 MYR 1,089

$236 MYR 964

12.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,540 MYR 39.0K

$6,189 MYR 25.3K

54.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 249

$54.0 MYR 221

12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 MYR 150

$28.68 MYR 117

27.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MYR 348

$62.3 MYR 255

36.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 MYR 331

$53.8 MYR 220

50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,312

$382 MYR 1,561

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,486

$274 MYR 1,118

32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MYR 4,455

$650 MYR 2,657

67.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,643

$476 MYR 1,946

35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MYR 16.6K

$2,045 MYR 8,362

98.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,416 MYR 5,787

$1,134 MYR 4,635

24.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 MYR 6,417

$1,301 MYR 5,319

20.65%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kedah: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $566 in Kuala Lumpur and $382 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 21% 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: $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $22.00 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $270, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $857 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $566 in Kuala Lumpur versus $382 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Kuala Lumpur versus $236 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 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $857 in Kedah versus $1,063 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 24% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.