Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Alor Setar

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $868 a month against $913 in Penang, rent and utilities included – about $540 less a year. The total is higher in Penang despite lower rent and utilities.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
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Alor Setar Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$868

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Alor Setar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Alor Setar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $913 per month in Penang vs $868 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Penang $913
Alor Setar $868

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Penang vs $1,310 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Penang $1,403
Alor Setar $1,310

A family of three spends $1,894 per month in Penang vs $1,752 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Penang $1,894
Alor Setar $1,752

Penang costs about 5% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Penang and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Penang 33% lower, Alor Setar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$2.06 MYR 8.38

81.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 81.1

$12.28 MYR 50.0

62.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$4.09 MYR 16.65

16.87%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$1.92 MYR 7.84

55.21%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.07

$0.54 MYR 2.18

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.30 MYR 1.23

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.55

$4.10 MYR 16.71

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.83

$4.52 MYR 18.42

-3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.61 MYR 6.56

15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$0.85 MYR 3.47

27.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.75 MYR 7.11

0.57%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.04

$1.53 MYR 6.22

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.9

$13.63 MYR 55.5

-1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.13

$4.32 MYR 17.62

3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.45

$8.47 MYR 34.51

2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.89

$3.07 MYR 12.50

-4.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.72

$1.19 MYR 4.84

38.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.63

$2.60 MYR 10.61

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.70

$1.47 MYR 5.98

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.06 MYR 4.32

-0.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.55

$1.08 MYR 4.38

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$1.09 MYR 4.45

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.57 MYR 2.33

3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 19.09

$4.45 MYR 18.13

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.7

$18.90 MYR 77.0

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.24

$2.98 MYR 12.15

0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 22.04

$5.18 MYR 21.11

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 49.00

$12.69 MYR 51.7

-5.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.73 MYR 7.03

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.41 MYR 1.66

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.44

$7.38 MYR 30.09

1.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.49 MYR 1.99

93.88%

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

$44.2K MYR 180.1K

$45.3K MYR 184.5K

-2.41%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.7K

$35.8K MYR 146.1K

-0.24%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$37.81 MYR 154

-2.99%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.94

$7.47 MYR 30.44

27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$21.90 MYR 89.3

34.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 160

$37.64 MYR 153

4.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.78

$6.37 MYR 25.95

-23.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$4.83 MYR 19.68

-1.04%

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

$398 MYR 1,620

$396 MYR 1,615

0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$10.7K MYR 43.6K

-0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 248

$59.6 MYR 243

2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$35.76 MYR 146

-0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 340

$81.7 MYR 333

2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 286

$68.9 MYR 281

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,662

$421 MYR 1,713

-2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,170

$294 MYR 1,197

-2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,842

$653 MYR 2,660

6.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,176

$532 MYR 2,167

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,624

$2,256 MYR 9,193

-6.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,137

$1,157 MYR 4,712

9.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,795

$1,600 MYR 6,519

-41.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Alor Setar

$294 33.8% 2.3% $6.6

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Alor Setar

$245 28.3% 4.6% $12

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Alor Setar

$85 9.8% 25.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Alor Setar

$111 12.8% 1.6% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Alor Setar

$67 7.7% 11.3% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Alor Setar

$47 5.5% 3% $1.5

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Alor Setar

$19 2.2% 9.4% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Penang versus $421 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 72% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang versus $12 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $245 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🕒 Local time

07:46 7:46 AM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

423,868

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Penang Alor Setar 85 km

From you

Penang
Alor Setar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Penang costs about 5% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,369 per month in Penang and $1,303 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $408 in Penang and $421 in Alor Setar. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $398 per month in Penang and $396 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Penang, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $913 in Penang and $868 in Alor Setar. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $868 in Alor Setar to $913 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.