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: $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur versus $868 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,344 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,117 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,819 in Kedah.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 21% more expensive than Kedah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 22% lower, Kedah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 MYR 18.83

$3.02 MYR 12.25

53.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.84 MYR 117

$21.42 MYR 86.9

34.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 19.21

$4.28 MYR 17.36

10.51%

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.48

$2.95 MYR 11.96

4.41%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.70

$0.74 MYR 3.02

22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.37 MYR 1.48

43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 16.96

$4.40 MYR 17.84

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.81

$4.48 MYR 18.19

31.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.09

$1.81 MYR 7.34

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$0.91 MYR 3.67

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.06

$1.21 MYR 4.92

43.80%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.76

$2.11 MYR 8.58

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 MYR 59.4

$15.33 MYR 62.2

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.33

$5.00 MYR 20.27

-9.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.88

$14.66 MYR 59.5

-32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.59

$2.88 MYR 11.70

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.67

$1.19 MYR 4.83

37.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.11

$2.61 MYR 10.60

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$2.17 MYR 8.82

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.19 MYR 4.83

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.61

$1.16 MYR 4.72

18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$0.97 MYR 3.92

19.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.59

$0.48 MYR 1.95

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.75

$4.13 MYR 16.76

Wine (Bottle)

$19.03 MYR 77.2

$19.59 MYR 79.5

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.63

$2.64 MYR 10.70

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$3.37 MYR 13.67

27.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.68 MYR 2.77

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.88

$11.77 MYR 47.74

0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$0.69 MYR 2.82

68.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.46

$0.47 MYR 1.92

134.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 MYR 19.06

$6.98 MYR 28.34

-32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.49 MYR 2.00

4.08%

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

$40.4K MYR 163.9K

$33.5K MYR 135.9K

20.66%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.1K

$27.4K MYR 111.0K

19.87%

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

$63.6 MYR 258

$38.49 MYR 156

65.11%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.65

$9.99 MYR 40.52

15.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 104

$11.96 MYR 48.55

113.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.64 MYR 185

$36.49 MYR 148

25.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.61 MYR 30.89

$5.85 MYR 23.76

30.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.44

$2.81 MYR 11.41

79.36%

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

$263 MYR 1,067

$238 MYR 964

10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,446 MYR 38.3K

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

51.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$55.4 MYR 225

10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.36 MYR 152

$28.32 MYR 115

31.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 MYR 344

$62.0 MYR 252

36.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 MYR 326

$52.5 MYR 213

52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 MYR 2,349

$380 MYR 1,541

52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MYR 1,486

$270 MYR 1,094

35.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 MYR 4,340

$646 MYR 2,622

65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,580

$465 MYR 1,886

36.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

$1,964 MYR 7,968

116.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,498 MYR 6,078

$957 MYR 3,882

56.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,727 MYR 7,009

$1,322 MYR 5,363

30.68%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kedah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Kuala Lumpur and $380 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 31% 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 $21.00 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $868 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kuala Lumpur pays 31% 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: $579 in Kuala Lumpur versus $380 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Kuala Lumpur versus $238 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 $868 in Kedah versus $1,048 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 21% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.