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 $867 per month in Penang vs $859 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,310 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,762 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang costs about 1% more than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.56

$3.52 MYR 14.36

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$19.01 MYR 77.6

13.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.83 MYR 19.72

-14.08%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.77 MYR 11.30

7.22%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.72 MYR 2.95

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$3.44 MYR 14.06

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$4.84 MYR 19.75

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.79 MYR 7.29

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.94 MYR 3.86

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.29 MYR 5.26

59.69%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.13 MYR 8.68

-0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$15.14 MYR 61.8

12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.29 MYR 17.51

20.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$9.41 MYR 38.43

58.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.89 MYR 11.81

0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.45 MYR 5.91

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.61 MYR 10.67

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$1.45 MYR 5.92

44.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.18 MYR 4.83

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.55 MYR 2.27

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.33 MYR 17.69

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$16.63 MYR 67.9

15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.82 MYR 11.51

-6.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$3.01 MYR 12.30

12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$11.69 MYR 47.73

51.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$1.16 MYR 4.73

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.18

$5.80 MYR 23.67

18.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

-4.16%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

-14.11%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$42.93 MYR 175

-9.04%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$9.33 MYR 38.10

9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$28.91 MYR 118

8.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$36.62 MYR 150

-11.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$6.00 MYR 24.49

-7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$4.86 MYR 19.86

-1.03%

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

$240 MYR 978

$187 MYR 763

28.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

-9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$61.5 MYR 251

-10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$27.36 MYR 112

6.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$72.0 MYR 294

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$51.3 MYR 210

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$394 MYR 1,609

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$268 MYR 1,096

-16.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$646 MYR 2,639

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$469 MYR 1,914

11.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,996

$2,332 MYR 9,522

-5.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,271 MYR 5,191

-8.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,845

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $394 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $247 – 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: $867 in Penang, $859 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 1% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,288 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, 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 $22.00 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 $867 in Penang and $859 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $867 in Penang and $859 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis to $867 in Penang. 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 Kangar, Perlis. 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.