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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $852 in Kampar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,273 in Kampar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,694 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$2.06 MYR 8.34

47.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$18.69 MYR 75.8

15.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.35 MYR 9.52

25.11%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.48 MYR 1.96

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.49 MYR 1.99

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$2.16 MYR 8.77

103.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$5.93 MYR 24.04

-24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.86 MYR 7.54

-2.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.74 MYR 3.00

33.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.72 MYR 6.96

18.02%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.75 MYR 7.08

21.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$14.37 MYR 58.3

20.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.68 MYR 18.99

11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$7.17 MYR 29.06

110.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.88 MYR 11.66

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.58 MYR 6.40

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.70 MYR 10.93

-4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.47 MYR 5.97

43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.28 MYR 5.19

-7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.33 MYR 5.41

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.16 MYR 4.70

-18.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.63 MYR 2.54

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.27 MYR 17.33

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$19.22 MYR 77.9

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$4.21 MYR 17.08

-19.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-38.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.94 MYR 48.42

45.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.15 MYR 4.66

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.04 MYR 4.21

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$4.64 MYR 18.81

55.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-7.84%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$39.7K MYR 160.9K

-17.03%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$32.3K MYR 131.2K

-15.70%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$46.87 MYR 190

-17.64%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$4.84 MYR 19.63

107.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$21.00 MYR 85.2

49.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$37.08 MYR 150

-10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.72 MYR 23.18

-5.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.69 MYR 19.01

4.69%

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

$238 MYR 963

$116 MYR 470

104.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$9,398 MYR 38.1K

-34.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$58.8 MYR 238

-7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$11.81 MYR 47.88

140.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$71.1 MYR 288

-14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$71.5 MYR 290

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$386 MYR 1,567

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$267 MYR 1,082

-13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$647 MYR 2,623

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$464 MYR 1,883

13.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,956 MYR 7,930

15.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$977 MYR 3,962

21.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$376 MYR 1,526

152.74%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kampar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 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 153% 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: $287 vs $252 – 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 $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,278 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 $869 in Penang and $852 in Kampar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% 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 $869 in Penang and $852 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.