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City Profile

Bintong, Perlis

Malaysia · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Bintong Custom Comparison
76
Overall Score

Bintong is a mukim and suburban town located in the state of Perlis, Malaysia, situated near the state capital of Kangar. Known for its tranquil rural landscapes, agricultural heritage, and close-knit community, Bintong reflects the traditional charm of Malaysia's smallest state. Residents and newcomers are often drawn to the area for its peaceful environment, slow-paced lifestyle, and proximity to natural attractions like Wang Kelian and the Nakawan Range.

Over recent years, the area has experienced gradual infrastructural development as part of the broader Perlis socioeconomic master plan. While retaining its predominantly green and agricultural character, Bintong benefits from its nearness to Kangar's commercial hubs, educational institutions, and government services. This makes it an appealing residential choice for families and retirees seeking affordable housing outside major Malaysian metropolitan centers.

Community life in Bintong centers around local markets, mosques, and traditional neighborhood gatherings. The local demographic is deeply rooted in Perlis's cultural traditions, offering an authentic Malaysian small-town experience. As regional transport links improve, Bintong is slowly integrating into the wider Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) development framework.

About Perlis

Perlis, Malaysia's smallest state, offers a peaceful, rural lifestyle with a strong agricultural heritage, particularly known for rice and sugarcane cultivation, and increasingly, high-value crops like the "harum manis" mango. While agriculture, forestry, and fishing have traditionally dominated its economy, the service sector now accounts for the majority of its output, with growing investments in green manufacturing, halal industries, and renewable energy, especially solar. The climate is tropical monsoon, generally warm year-round with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 32°C, and a rainy season from May to December. The cost of living in Perlis is considered low, with average monthly expenses for a single person around $650 including rent, contributing to a calm and unhurried pace of life.

12,500
Population
$1K
Avg Salary
62
Cost Index
76.0
Quality Score
How this 76/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 82 / 100 82.0 30% 24.6
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 62.0 91.3 25% 22.8
Economy & jobs Median household income: $12,000 Income needed to live here: no usable reading Unemployment rate: 4% 75.0 20% 15.0
Growth Population growth rate: 0.9% Job growth rate: 1.8% 51.8 15% 7.8
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 58 / 100 58.0 10% 5.8
Overall score 76.0

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
58
Livability
75
Affordability
85
Growth
62

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Bintong and the wider Perlis state is notably lower than Malaysia's major urban centers like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, or Johor Bahru. Everyday expenses such as local dining, fresh produce, and personal services are affordable, benefiting from lower local overhead costs and proximity to agricultural production zones. Housing and utility expenses also remain modest compared to national averages.

While imported goods, private healthcare, and private schooling carry standard national pricing, basic living costs are highly manageable for average households. Transportation constitutes a predictable monthly expense, with most residents relying on personal vehicles due to limited rail and bus infrastructure. Overall, Bintong offers high purchasing power parity for local income earners.

Average Rent
$350/mo
Groceries
$250/mo
Transport
$100/mo
Utilities
$75/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$25.00
Cinema ticket
$4.50
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$6.00
Monthly groceries
$180.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$15.00

Income

Salary Insights

Bintong's local economy is primarily driven by agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, small-scale manufacturing, and public sector employment. Many residents commute short distances to nearby Kangar for administrative, educational, and corporate jobs. The surrounding region heavily features paddy cultivation, rubber, fruit orchards, and light agro-processing industries.

Economic growth in Perlis is supported by regional development initiatives under the NCER, focusing on logistics, border trade with Thailand, and eco-tourism. While high-tech and corporate remote-working ecosystems are nascent compared to Klang Valley, digital connectivity is robust. Entrepreneurial opportunities primarily center around retail, local food services, and tourism-related ventures.

The average salary in Bintong is $950 per year. You would need approximately $800 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Accommodation & Food Services +2.50% Wholesale & Retail Trade +2.20% Public Administration & Education +2.00% Construction & Real Estate +1.90% Agriculture & Agro-based Industry +1.50%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
Avg Temp
☀️
Summer High
❄️
Winter Low
🌧️
"
Annual Rain
💧
82.00%
Humidity
🌤️
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Transportation in Bintong is heavily automobile-centric, with most residents relying on personal cars and motorcycles for daily commuting. Public transit options within the mukim are sparse, though regional bus services operate along main federal routes connecting Kangar and Arau. The nearest railway connectivity is accessible via the KTM ETS station in neighboring Arau, providing direct rail links to Kuala Lumpur and Padang Besar.

Road infrastructure is well-maintained, connecting Bintong smoothly to major regional highways. Traffic congestion is rare outside of peak school-opening hours or local market days. Walkability is moderate within specific residential clusters, but inter-town travel requires motorized transport.

20 min
Avg Commute
35.00/10
Transit Score
50.00/10
Walkability
High
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Housing and rental costs are significantly lower than the national average in Malaysia.
Extremely low crime rate and high community safety profile ideal for families and retirees.
Proximity to nature, including the Nakawan Range and agricultural scenic landscapes.
Close proximity to Kangar's administrative, educational, and healthcare infrastructure.
Strong community cohesion and traditional Malaysian cultural environment.
Drawbacks
High car dependency due to limited local public transport networks.
Limited local job market for specialized corporate, tech, or high-income sectors without commuting.
Hot and humid tropical climate year-round with distinct monsoonal rainfall patterns.
Fewer entertainment, nightlife, and modern lifestyle retail options directly within the town.
Slower pace of economic and wage growth compared to Malaysia's primary urban corridors.

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Arau
80
Jejawi
80
Kuala Perlis
77
Kuala Sungai Baru (Perlis)
80

Community Q&A

Questions about Bintong

What people ask about living in and moving to Bintong, Perlis.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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