Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kangar, Perlis

For one person, living costs are similar in Penang and in Kangar, Perlis: $922 and $927 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
Learn more

Penang Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Kangar, Perlis
Learn more

Kangar, Perlis Living Index

Jump to prices

Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$922

/mo nomad

Kangar, Perlis

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$927

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Kangar, Perlis

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 Kangar, Perlis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $922 per month in Penang vs $927 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang $922
Kangar, Perlis $927

A couple spends around $1,412 per month in Penang vs $1,421 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang $1,412
Kangar, Perlis $1,421

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,916 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang $1,901
Kangar, Perlis $1,916

Penang and Kangar, Perlis have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Penang and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Penang 32% lower, Kangar, Perlis 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 MYR 15.26

$3.70 MYR 14.96

1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.80 MYR 80.1

$19.24 MYR 77.8

2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MYR 18.99

$4.71 MYR 19.06

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.21

$2.94 MYR 11.89

2.72%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.74 MYR 2.99

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.39 MYR 1.58

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 17.02

$3.88 MYR 15.70

8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.30

$4.44 MYR 17.94

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MYR 7.21

$1.85 MYR 7.49

-3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.08 MYR 4.38

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.94

$1.42 MYR 5.73

21.13%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.01

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 MYR 55.9

$13.65 MYR 55.2

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.01

$4.37 MYR 17.67

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 MYR 36.06

$9.63 MYR 38.95

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.24

$3.18 MYR 12.85

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.70

$1.65 MYR 6.69

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.59

$2.46 MYR 9.95

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.71

$1.58 MYR 6.40

-10.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$1.28 MYR 5.18

-16.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$1.38 MYR 5.57

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.42

$1.12 MYR 4.53

-2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.18

$0.56 MYR 2.27

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.81

$4.29 MYR 17.36

8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.43 MYR 78.6

$18.78 MYR 76.0

3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.09

$2.93 MYR 11.84

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.80

$4.63 MYR 18.72

16.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.74 MYR 3.00

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.17

$12.05 MYR 48.75

0.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$1.20 MYR 4.84

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.54 MYR 2.17

-25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 MYR 30.39

$7.13 MYR 28.82

5.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 MYR 3.79

$0.78 MYR 3.17

20.51%

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

$44.7K MYR 180.8K

$44.1K MYR 178.2K

1.42%

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

$36.3K MYR 146.8K

$35.4K MYR 143.4K

2.38%

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

$37.54 MYR 152

$48.94 MYR 198

-23.29%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.66

$9.52 MYR 38.51

0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.23 MYR 118

$28.21 MYR 114

3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 MYR 159

$37.14 MYR 150

6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.48

$6.40 MYR 25.88

-24.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 20.10

$4.76 MYR 19.25

4.41%

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

$401 MYR 1,622

$239 MYR 966

67.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K MYR 46.4K

$6,932 MYR 28.0K

65.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 246

$55.6 MYR 225

9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 MYR 140

$34.80 MYR 141

-0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 MYR 335

$80.9 MYR 327

2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 MYR 282

$75.2 MYR 304

-7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,675

$417 MYR 1,685

-0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MYR 1,189

$293 MYR 1,186

0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 MYR 2,843

$712 MYR 2,879

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,167

$547 MYR 2,213

-2.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,142 MYR 8,661

$1,995 MYR 8,068

7.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 MYR 5,074

$1,178 MYR 4,765

6.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$927 MYR 3,748

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.06

4.43%

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

Last update for Penang: November 3, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$294 31.9%

Kangar, Perlis

$293 31.7% 0.2% $0.5

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$258 28%

Kangar, Perlis

$258 27.9% 0.1% $0.4

Eating Out

Penang

$115 12.5%

Kangar, Perlis

$112 12.1% 2.9% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 12.1%

Kangar, Perlis

$111 12% 0.7% $0.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Kangar, Perlis

$87 9.4% 13.5% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.4%

Kangar, Perlis

$47 5% 5.5% $2.7

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Kangar, Perlis

$19 2% 5.6% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Penang versus $417 in Kangar, Perlis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang versus $19 in Kangar, Perlis. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Penang vs $258 in Kangar, Perlis – so Penang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Kangar, Perlis

🕒 Local time

21:22 9:22 PM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

284,853

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Penang Kangar, Perlis 120 km

From you

Penang
Kangar, Perlis

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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,384 per month in Penang and $1,390 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $414 in Penang and $417 in Kangar, Perlis. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang and $19 in Kangar, Perlis. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $401 per month in Penang and $239 in Kangar, Perlis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $922 in Penang to $927 in Kangar, Perlis. 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.