Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $837 in Penang versus $944 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $1,399 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Penang versus $1,853 in Kedah.

Living in Penang costs roughly 11% less than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Kedah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.24

$3.51 MYR 14.38

5.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.9

$12.36 MYR 50.6

59.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$5.03 MYR 20.58

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.66 MYR 10.91

12.03%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.91 MYR 3.74

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.33 MYR 1.34

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$2.41 MYR 9.87

78.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.53

$4.29 MYR 17.56

5.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.37

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.36 MYR 5.57

-22.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.05

$1.76 MYR 7.20

-2.27%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.5

$15.65 MYR 64.0

-16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.68

$4.90 MYR 20.07

-11.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.87

$9.56 MYR 39.14

-10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$2.36 MYR 9.65

24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.45 MYR 5.92

14.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.28 MYR 9.32

12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.25 MYR 5.13

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$0.91 MYR 3.74

21.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$0.79 MYR 3.23

46.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$0.77 MYR 3.17

48.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.65 MYR 2.66

-16.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.38

$4.66 MYR 19.08

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$21.25 MYR 87.0

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.34

$2.49 MYR 10.18

20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.29

$3.63 MYR 14.85

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.85

$11.77 MYR 48.18

3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.09

$1.22 MYR 4.99

41.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.55

$6.64 MYR 27.19

12.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.60 MYR 2.45

45.00%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

0.33%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

21.21%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$50.7 MYR 207

-27.64%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.57

$7.98 MYR 32.64

24.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 122

$32.15 MYR 132

-7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$39.87 MYR 163

-1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.71

$5.78 MYR 23.67

-16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.37

$4.81 MYR 19.69

8.52%

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

$432 MYR 1,768

$171 MYR 698

153.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

112.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 243

$54.5 MYR 223

8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$35.20 MYR 144

1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 340

$72.3 MYR 296

14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$69.5 MYR 284

2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,675

$416 MYR 1,701

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

$320 MYR 1,311

-28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

$693 MYR 2,837

-15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

$451 MYR 1,847

-8.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,187

$1,745 MYR 7,141

28.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,331

$1,006 MYR 4,117

5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

$1,329 MYR 5,440

-31.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.43

-4.29%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $416 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $12.00 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $269, with Penang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang and Kedah differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($837 vs $944 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Kedah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Penang versus $416 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $432 in Penang versus $171 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $837 in Penang versus $944 in Kedah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Penang and Kedah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.