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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $862 per month in Penang vs $828 in Kampar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Penang vs $1,278 in Kampar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Penang vs $1,728 in Kampar, rent included.

Penang costs about 4% more than Kampar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Kampar are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Kampar 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$2.16 MYR 8.55

43.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$19.13 MYR 75.6

10.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.63 MYR 18.29

-11.02%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.42 MYR 9.57

19.01%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.49 MYR 1.92

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.45 MYR 1.79

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$2.09 MYR 8.26

105.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$6.00 MYR 23.69

-26.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.92 MYR 7.57

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$0.73 MYR 2.88

41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.73 MYR 6.83

15.03%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.71 MYR 6.76

19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$14.39 MYR 56.9

20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.75 MYR 18.75

4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$7.14 MYR 28.19

110.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.94 MYR 11.62

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.64 MYR 6.48

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.67 MYR 10.55

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.45 MYR 5.74

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.28 MYR 5.06

-7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.33 MYR 5.25

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.16 MYR 4.57

-21.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.64 MYR 2.51

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.26 MYR 16.81

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$18.65 MYR 73.7

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$3.40 MYR 13.44

-19.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$4.23 MYR 16.72

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.94 MYR 47.15

46.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$4.73 MYR 18.67

46.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-8.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$39.6K MYR 156.6K

-15.51%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

-14.29%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$47.51 MYR 188

-17.26%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$4.66 MYR 18.39

119.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$21.38 MYR 84.5

45.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$36.31 MYR 143

-8.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.93 MYR 23.42

-9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.75 MYR 18.75

1.26%

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

$240 MYR 947

$117 MYR 464

104.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$9,378 MYR 37.0K

-34.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$58.9 MYR 233

-7.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$11.81 MYR 46.67

146.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$70.0 MYR 277

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$70.5 MYR 278

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$388 MYR 1,532

-1.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$273 MYR 1,080

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$641 MYR 2,533

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$477 MYR 1,884

10.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,707 MYR 6,742

35.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$1,024 MYR 4,046

16.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$382 MYR 1,510

153.24%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kampar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang versus $388 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 $21.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Kampar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $253 – 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 4%, 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 $1,294 per month in Penang and $1,242 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 $862 in Penang and $828 in Kampar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% 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 $862 in Penang and $828 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.