Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $862 per month in Penang vs $875 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Penang vs $1,342 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Penang vs $1,808 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang is about 1% cheaper than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.46 MYR 13.68

-10.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$19.11 MYR 75.5

10.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.73 MYR 18.70

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.82 MYR 11.13

2.13%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.73 MYR 2.87

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.45 MYR 13.62

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$4.89 MYR 19.32

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.82 MYR 7.18

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$0.99 MYR 3.91

4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.26 MYR 4.96

57.94%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.11 MYR 8.32

-3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$15.08 MYR 59.6

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.34 MYR 17.13

14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$9.46 MYR 37.35

58.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.84 MYR 11.21

1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.47 MYR 5.82

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.51 MYR 9.93

4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.43 MYR 5.66

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.18 MYR 4.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.29 MYR 5.09

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.55 MYR 2.18

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.34 MYR 17.13

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$17.98 MYR 71.0

7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.82 MYR 11.16

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.97 MYR 11.72

14.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.73 MYR 2.88

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.58 MYR 45.75

51.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.99 MYR 3.91

-46.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$5.95 MYR 23.49

16.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.96

-8.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

-5.29%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

-10.53%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$43.03 MYR 170

-8.65%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.19 MYR 36.31

11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$28.86 MYR 114

8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$37.24 MYR 147

-10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.82 MYR 23.00

-7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.89 MYR 19.32

-1.64%

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

$240 MYR 947

$186 MYR 734

29.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

-12.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$60.0 MYR 237

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$27.64 MYR 109

5.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$73.5 MYR 290

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$50.6 MYR 200

4.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$388 MYR 1,533

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$273 MYR 1,079

-17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$644 MYR 2,542

-0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$462 MYR 1,825

13.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,676 MYR 6,621

38.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$950 MYR 3,751

26.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.07

2.21%

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

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang versus $388 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 $21.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $250 – making Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $862 in Penang, $875 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 1% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,294 per month in Penang and $1,312 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Penang and $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $862 in Penang and $875 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $862 in Penang and $875 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $862 in Penang to $875 in Kangar, Perlis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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