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 $837 per month in Penang vs $954 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,307 per month in Penang vs $1,396 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Penang vs $1,838 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Penang is about 12% cheaper than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Penang and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Penang 39% lower, Kangar, Perlis 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.24

$3.79 MYR 15.52

-1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.9

$20.49 MYR 83.9

-3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$4.85 MYR 19.85

-5.77%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.68 MYR 10.97

11.19%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.71 MYR 2.90

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$4.15 MYR 16.99

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.53

$4.76 MYR 19.49

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.37

$1.84 MYR 7.55

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.05

$1.55 MYR 6.36

10.97%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$1.99 MYR 8.15

7.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.5

$12.28 MYR 50.3

6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.68

$4.39 MYR 17.95

-1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.87

$9.77 MYR 40.00

-12.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$3.30 MYR 13.49

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.71 MYR 7.01

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.67 MYR 10.91

-3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.84 MYR 7.52

-20.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$1.10 MYR 4.50

0.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.23 MYR 5.05

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.01 MYR 4.13

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.49 MYR 2.02

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.38

$4.85 MYR 19.83

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$20.05 MYR 82.1

-5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.34

$2.98 MYR 12.21

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.29

$4.03 MYR 16.48

-1.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.85

$11.21 MYR 45.88

8.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.09

$1.05 MYR 4.31

64.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.48 MYR 1.95

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.55

$7.86 MYR 32.18

-5.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.84 MYR 3.45

3.57%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

$47.0K MYR 192.5K

-10.80%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$34.1K MYR 139.7K

2.09%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$44.65 MYR 183

-17.92%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.57

$9.56 MYR 39.12

3.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 122

$25.71 MYR 105

15.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$46.17 MYR 189

-15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.71

$7.45 MYR 30.47

-35.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.37

$5.18 MYR 21.20

0.77%

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

$432 MYR 1,768

$192 MYR 787

124.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

$5,435 MYR 22.2K

95.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 243

$65.0 MYR 266

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$30.04 MYR 123

19.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 340

$88.6 MYR 363

-6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$65.2 MYR 267

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,675

$421 MYR 1,724

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

$330 MYR 1,351

-30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

$584 MYR 2,389

-0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

$494 MYR 2,024

-16.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,187

$1,783 MYR 7,299

25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,331

$1,067 MYR 4,368

-0.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.2

0.95%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Penang versus $421 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 $20.00 in Penang versus $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $257 – making Penang 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: $837 in Penang, $954 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 14% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Penang and $1,431 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 $20.00 in Penang and $20.00 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 $837 in Penang and $954 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 $837 in Penang and $954 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 $837 in Penang to $954 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.