Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Alor Setar Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Alor Setar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Penang vs $912 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Penang vs $1,309 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,779 per month in Penang vs $1,707 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Penang is about 7% cheaper than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Penang and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Penang 39% lower, Alor Setar 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$2.09 MYR 8.51

78.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.03 MYR 81.5

$12.42 MYR 50.5

61.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.66

$4.13 MYR 16.81

16.95%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.95

$1.92 MYR 7.80

53.13%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.53 MYR 2.17

33.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.31 MYR 1.28

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$2.47 MYR 10.03

70.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.32

$4.39 MYR 17.84

2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.26

$1.61 MYR 6.56

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.85 MYR 3.47

28.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.69 MYR 6.88

2.37%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.05

$1.55 MYR 6.30

43.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 MYR 54.4

$15.86 MYR 64.5

-15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 MYR 17.78

$4.98 MYR 20.24

-12.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 MYR 36.60

$10.04 MYR 40.85

-10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$2.45 MYR 9.96

17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.26 MYR 5.11

34.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$2.35 MYR 9.55

11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.94

$1.27 MYR 5.16

14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$0.87 MYR 3.55

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$0.80 MYR 3.27

46.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.78 MYR 3.16

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.35

$0.65 MYR 2.64

-10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.45

$4.65 MYR 18.91

-2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 79.5

$21.55 MYR 87.7

-9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$2.42 MYR 9.85

20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.20

$3.66 MYR 14.90

8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-37.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 MYR 49.95

$12.49 MYR 50.8

-1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.21 MYR 4.91

40.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.51 MYR 2.09

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MYR 30.97

$6.70 MYR 27.25

13.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$0.50 MYR 2.02

68.00%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

-2.52%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

22.91%

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

$37.45 MYR 152

$51.8 MYR 211

-27.70%

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

$9.83 MYR 40.01

$7.58 MYR 30.85

29.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 MYR 121

$21.95 MYR 89.3

35.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 MYR 157

$40.67 MYR 165

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.81 MYR 19.57

$6.65 MYR 27.03

-27.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.59

$4.67 MYR 18.99

13.70%

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

$435 MYR 1,769

$175 MYR 712

148.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

112.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 245

$54.2 MYR 221

11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 MYR 141

$35.61 MYR 145

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$74.1 MYR 301

15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MYR 288

$70.5 MYR 287

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MYR 1,623

$427 MYR 1,735

-6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 928

$336 MYR 1,367

-32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MYR 2,406

$712 MYR 2,895

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MYR 1,694

$505 MYR 2,055

-17.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,235 MYR 9,094

$2,038 MYR 8,289

9.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 MYR 4,346

$1,146 MYR 4,664

-6.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 MYR 3,754

$1,646 MYR 6,696

-43.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.43

-4.29%

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

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Penang versus $427 in Alor Setar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Alor Setar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $253 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Penang vs Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alor Setar costs about 8% more than Penang, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,270 per month in Penang and $1,368 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $435 per month in Penang and $175 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Alor Setar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $846 in Penang and $912 in Alor Setar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Penang costs $846 versus $912 in Alor Setar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alor Setar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.