Cost of Living Comparison Between Matagalpa and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Matagalpa and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Matagalpa versus $857 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,290 in Matagalpa versus $1,327 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Matagalpa versus $1,798 in Kedah.

Monthly costs are close between Matagalpa and Kedah; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matagalpa 36% lower, Kedah 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.78 NIO 175

$3.14 MYR 12.82

52.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 NIO 927

$21.57 MYR 88.2

17.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 NIO 255

$4.26 MYR 17.42

63.38%

Cappuccino

$2.34 NIO 85.9

$2.94 MYR 12.02

-20.41%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.38

$0.74 MYR 3.02

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 NIO 17.11

$0.33 MYR 1.37

42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 NIO 44.37

$4.38 MYR 17.91

-72.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NIO 72.3

$4.32 MYR 17.67

-54.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 NIO 42.06

$1.83 MYR 7.47

-37.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 NIO 54.4

$0.97 MYR 3.97

53.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 NIO 58.2

$1.16 MYR 4.75

37.07%

Eggs

$2.15 NIO 78.7

$2.04 MYR 8.32

5.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.97 NIO 72.2

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-86.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 NIO 156

$5.00 MYR 20.44

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.69 NIO 245

$14.52 MYR 59.4

-53.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NIO 142

$2.77 MYR 11.31

40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.38

$1.21 MYR 4.95

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.4

$2.69 MYR 10.98

-32.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.8

$2.11 MYR 8.64

3.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 NIO 41.42

$1.19 MYR 4.88

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$1.21 MYR 4.94

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$0.97 MYR 3.96

-30.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.32

$0.45 MYR 1.83

126.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.3

$4.15 MYR 16.96

-34.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 NIO 371

$19.04 MYR 77.8

-46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NIO 45.47

$2.65 MYR 10.85

-53.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 NIO 82.7

$3.54 MYR 14.46

-36.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 NIO 17.77

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 NIO 31.42

$0.73 MYR 3.00

17.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 NIO 36.53

$0.50 MYR 2.04

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 NIO 252

$7.08 MYR 28.96

-2.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 47.95

$0.50 MYR 2.04

162.00%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.8K

$33.6K MYR 137.5K

-31.98%

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

$26.7K NIO 978.8K

$27.8K MYR 113.6K

-3.85%

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

$53.4 NIO 1,956

$38.56 MYR 158

38.51%

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

$17.19 NIO 630

$9.94 MYR 40.63

72.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.37 NIO 1,295

$11.76 MYR 48.07

200.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 MYR 153

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.68

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 NIO 294

$2.81 MYR 11.49

185.41%

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

$100 NIO 3,668

$236 MYR 964

-57.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,027 NIO 220.7K

$6,189 MYR 25.3K

-2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 NIO 2,881

$54.0 MYR 221

45.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.1 NIO 2,641

$28.68 MYR 117

151.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,875

$62.3 MYR 255

113.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,892

$53.8 MYR 220

97.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 NIO 5,781

$382 MYR 1,561

-58.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 NIO 9,606

$274 MYR 1,118

-4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 NIO 20.1K

$650 MYR 2,657

-15.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 NIO 13.9K

$476 MYR 1,946

-20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 MYR 8,362

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,635

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$99.9 NIO 3,657

$1,301 MYR 5,319

-92.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

4.16

146.39%

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

Last update for Matagalpa: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kedah: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Matagalpa and $382 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 1203% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $25.00 in Matagalpa vs $22.00 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $270, with Matagalpa 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

Matagalpa vs Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 1203% lower in Kedah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $158 in Matagalpa versus $382 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $100 in Matagalpa versus $236 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Matagalpa pay roughly 46% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $857 in Kedah versus $859 in Matagalpa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Matagalpa. 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, Matagalpa 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kedah wins on affordability, Matagalpa on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.