Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kampar Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kampar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Penang vs $846 in Kampar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,287 in Kampar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,729 in Kampar, rent included.

Penang costs about 2% more than Kampar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Kampar are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Kampar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$2.08 MYR 8.51

48.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$18.77 MYR 76.7

15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.57 MYR 18.66

-9.19%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.40 MYR 9.81

23.75%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.45 MYR 1.84

64.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.49 MYR 1.98

-32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$2.13 MYR 8.70

101.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$5.98 MYR 24.44

-25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.86 MYR 7.60

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.68 MYR 2.78

51.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.66 MYR 6.79

24.10%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$1.65 MYR 6.75

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$14.02 MYR 57.3

21.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.72 MYR 19.27

9.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$6.93 MYR 28.29

115.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.99 MYR 12.22

-2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.65 MYR 6.73

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.60 MYR 10.60

2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$1.47 MYR 5.99

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.38 MYR 5.65

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.21 MYR 4.93

-26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$4.32 MYR 17.64

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$18.05 MYR 73.7

6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$3.41 MYR 13.91

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$4.37 MYR 17.87

-22.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-39.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$12.01 MYR 49.03

47.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.04 MYR 4.24

-50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.19

$4.60 MYR 18.79

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.47 MYR 1.92

6.38%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$39.9K MYR 162.9K

-14.58%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$32.7K MYR 133.7K

-16.48%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$47.20 MYR 193

-17.27%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$4.81 MYR 19.65

111.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$21.14 MYR 86.3

49.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$37.14 MYR 152

-12.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$5.85 MYR 23.89

-5.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$4.68 MYR 19.10

2.78%

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

$240 MYR 978

$117 MYR 479

104.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$9,280 MYR 37.9K

-33.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$58.4 MYR 238

-5.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$11.61 MYR 47.42

151.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$70.8 MYR 289

-13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$71.3 MYR 291

-26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$386 MYR 1,577

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$274 MYR 1,119

-17.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$649 MYR 2,650

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$470 MYR 1,917

11.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,997

$2,106 MYR 8,600

4.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,101 MYR 4,495

5.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

$362 MYR 1,478

160.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.47

-6.94%

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

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kampar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $386 in Kampar. 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 160% higher in Penang, 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Kampar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $249 – making Kampar 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 Kampar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Penang is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,269 in Kampar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $867 in Penang and $846 in Kampar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Kampar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $867 in Penang and $846 in Kampar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kampar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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