Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kedah

For one person, living is cheaper in Kedah: $877 a month against $913 in Penang, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Kedah
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Kedah Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Kedah

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$877

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Kedah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Kedah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Penang versus $877 in Kedah.

Penang $913
Kedah $877

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Penang versus $1,399 in Kedah.

Penang $1,403
Kedah $1,399

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Penang versus $1,920 in Kedah.

Penang $1,894
Kedah $1,920

Living in Penang is roughly 4% more expensive than in Kedah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 33% lower, Kedah 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.11

$3.72 MYR 15.07

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 80.7

$12.32 MYR 49.96

61.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.38

$4.56 MYR 18.50

4.82%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.08

$2.91 MYR 11.81

2.41%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$0.77 MYR 3.12

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.39 MYR 1.59

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$4.24 MYR 17.17

-4.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.74

$4.36 MYR 17.66

0.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.88 MYR 7.62

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.39

$1.06 MYR 4.29

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.16

$1.72 MYR 6.95

2.33%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.00

$2.19 MYR 8.87

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.6

$13.55 MYR 54.9

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.04

$4.34 MYR 17.60

2.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.27

$8.84 MYR 35.84

-1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.83

$2.94 MYR 11.92

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.68

$1.63 MYR 6.62

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.58

$2.75 MYR 11.15

-5.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.67

$1.45 MYR 5.89

-3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.10 MYR 4.46

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.53

$1.09 MYR 4.41

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.45

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.38

$0.57 MYR 2.32

3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 18.99

$4.62 MYR 18.73

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.3

$18.76 MYR 76.1

2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.18

$2.98 MYR 12.09

0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 21.92

$5.33 MYR 21.61

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 48.76

$12.85 MYR 52.1

-6.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.66 MYR 6.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.28

$7.29 MYR 29.55

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.83

$0.60 MYR 2.45

58.33%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.2K

$45.6K MYR 185.0K

-3.16%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.0K

$35.8K MYR 145.3K

-0.24%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$36.47 MYR 148

0.58%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.74

$9.66 MYR 39.15

-1.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$29.48 MYR 120

0.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 159

$34.63 MYR 140

13.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.68

$6.85 MYR 27.78

-29.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.37

$4.79 MYR 19.43

-0.21%

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

$398 MYR 1,612

$388 MYR 1,571

2.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.0K

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 247

$58.9 MYR 239

3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$34.76 MYR 141

1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 339

$81.6 MYR 331

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 284

$70.7 MYR 286

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,654

$358 MYR 1,450

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,164

$258 MYR 1,046

11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,828

$712 MYR 2,888

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,165

$607 MYR 2,459

-11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,580

$1,930 MYR 7,825

9.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,111

$1,258 MYR 5,098

0.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,776

$1,339 MYR 5,429

-30.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kedah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Kedah

$258 29.4% 10.2% $29

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Kedah

$257 29.3% 0.3% $0.7

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Kedah

$113 12.9% 0.5% $0.5

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Kedah

$111 12.6% 1.7% $1.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Kedah

$76 8.6% 0.1% $0.1

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Kedah

$44 5% 9.3% $4.5

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Kedah

$19 2.2% 10.5% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Penang and $358 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20 in Penang vs $12 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $257, with Penang cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Kedah

🕒 Local time

12:34 12:34 PM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

417,800

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Penang Kedah 83 km

From you

Penang
Kedah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $913 in Penang and $877 in Kedah, so Kedah is about 4% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Penang. 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: $408 in Penang versus $358 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 6% less than in Kedah. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $913 per month in Penang versus $877 in Kedah – Kedah is about 4% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kedah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.