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 $869 per month in Penang vs $865 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,324 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,782 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

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 35% lower, Kangar, Perlis 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.61 MYR 14.62

-15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$19.02 MYR 77.1

13.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.59 MYR 18.63

-5.66%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.90 MYR 11.74

1.38%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.72 MYR 2.91

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$3.57 MYR 14.49

23.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$5.08 MYR 20.61

-12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.89 MYR 7.67

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.01 MYR 4.08

-1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.28 MYR 5.20

58.59%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.07 MYR 8.40

2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$15.20 MYR 61.6

14.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.28 MYR 17.35

21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$9.19 MYR 37.25

64.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.88 MYR 11.66

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.53 MYR 6.21

-3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.53 MYR 10.25

1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.43 MYR 5.81

47.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.19 MYR 4.81

-0.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.28 MYR 5.20

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.00 MYR 4.06

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.56 MYR 2.25

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.31 MYR 17.48

1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$19.52 MYR 79.2

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.83 MYR 11.49

-7.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$2.99 MYR 12.12

13.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.69 MYR 2.78

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.73 MYR 47.57

48.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.15 MYR 4.67

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.02 MYR 4.14

-47.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$6.04 MYR 24.48

19.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.49 MYR 1.99

-4.08%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

-5.80%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$30.9K MYR 125.2K

-11.71%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$44.11 MYR 179

-12.49%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.05 MYR 36.71

11.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$29.34 MYR 119

7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$36.25 MYR 147

-8.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.96 MYR 24.17

-9.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.89 MYR 19.84

0.41%

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

$238 MYR 963

$186 MYR 754

27.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$6,789 MYR 27.5K

-8.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$61.8 MYR 250

-11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$27.17 MYR 110

4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$73.0 MYR 296

-17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$49.96 MYR 203

7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$383 MYR 1,552

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$275 MYR 1,113

-16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$657 MYR 2,664

-2.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$473 MYR 1,916

11.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$2,212 MYR 8,968

1.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$919 MYR 3,728

28.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $383 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: $287 vs $254 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,298 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.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Kangar, Perlis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Penang and $865 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis to $869 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.