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: $808 in Matagalpa versus $955 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Matagalpa versus $1,409 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Matagalpa versus $1,862 in Kedah.

Living in Matagalpa costs roughly 15% less than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matagalpa 41% lower, Kedah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 NIO 249

$3.44 MYR 13.98

97.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 NIO 923

$12.37 MYR 50.3

103.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 NIO 272

$4.92 MYR 20.00

51.22%

Cappuccino

$2.57 NIO 94.1

$2.79 MYR 11.37

-7.89%

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

$0.86 NIO 31.49

$0.97 MYR 3.94

-11.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 NIO 16.06

$0.33 MYR 1.34

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 NIO 42.73

$2.47 MYR 10.03

-52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 NIO 71.1

$4.34 MYR 17.67

-55.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.61

$2.45 MYR 9.97

-50.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 NIO 46.90

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-2.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.6

$1.70 MYR 6.92

0.59%

Eggs

$2.34 NIO 85.6

$2.59 MYR 10.53

-9.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.69 NIO 98.4

$15.46 MYR 62.9

-82.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 NIO 157

$5.16 MYR 20.98

-17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 NIO 248

$9.82 MYR 39.94

-31.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 NIO 135

$2.38 MYR 9.68

55.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 NIO 22.75

$1.53 MYR 6.22

-59.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.6

$2.24 MYR 9.12

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 80.0

$1.21 MYR 4.92

80.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 NIO 143

$0.94 MYR 3.84

314.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.0

$0.81 MYR 3.28

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.51

$0.77 MYR 3.13

29.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.84

$0.69 MYR 2.79

53.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.2

$4.48 MYR 18.22

-40.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 NIO 363

$21.57 MYR 87.8

-54.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NIO 45.54

$2.49 MYR 10.14

-50.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NIO 84.9

$3.61 MYR 14.68

-35.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 NIO 7.42

$0.72 MYR 2.92

-72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 NIO 39.91

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-13.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 NIO 45.39

$0.51 MYR 2.09

143.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 NIO 249

$6.74 MYR 27.41

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 NIO 50.2

$0.64 MYR 2.61

114.06%

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

$23.4K NIO 857.8K

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

-44.81%

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

$26.7K NIO 977.0K

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

-5.19%

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

$59.4 NIO 2,175

$50.1 MYR 204

18.46%

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

$16.80 NIO 615

$8.22 MYR 33.46

104.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.42 NIO 1,334

$31.52 MYR 128

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 MYR 169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.61 MYR 26.88

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 NIO 314

$4.67 MYR 18.99

83.73%

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

$238 NIO 8,730

$175 MYR 711

36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,017 NIO 220.4K

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 NIO 2,640

$55.1 MYR 224

30.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 NIO 2,728

$35.44 MYR 144

110.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,762

$74.4 MYR 303

74.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,970

$70.5 MYR 287

53.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 NIO 7,386

$423 MYR 1,720

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 NIO 6,396

$333 MYR 1,355

-47.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 NIO 10.9K

$697 MYR 2,835

-57.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 NIO 9,022

$492 MYR 2,002

-49.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,347

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MYR 4,601

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 NIO 7,242

$1,313 MYR 5,343

-84.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

4.43

131.38%

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

Last update for Matagalpa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Matagalpa and $423 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 564% 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: $25.00 in Matagalpa vs $12.00 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $271, 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

Matagalpa and Kedah differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($808 vs $955 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 564% 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: $202 in Matagalpa versus $423 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $808 per month in Matagalpa versus $955 in Kedah – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $808 in Matagalpa versus $955 in Kedah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matagalpa but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Matagalpa 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.

Expats usually find Matagalpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.