Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Bintulu versus $837 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Bintulu versus $1,307 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,824 in Bintulu versus $1,776 in Penang.

Living in Bintulu is roughly 1% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 38% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 MYR 15.88

$3.72 MYR 15.19

4.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.6

$19.77 MYR 80.7

-6.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 MYR 23.57

$4.57 MYR 18.66

26.48%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$2.98 MYR 12.14

-0.67%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$0.74 MYR 3.00

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$0.37 MYR 1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.94

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-31.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.93

$4.53 MYR 18.47

13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$1.80 MYR 7.35

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.06 MYR 4.31

29.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.72 MYR 7.02

-23.26%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.90

$2.14 MYR 8.73

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.92 MYR 69.0

$13.06 MYR 53.3

29.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$4.32 MYR 17.62

-19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 24.20

$8.52 MYR 34.76

-30.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.93 MYR 11.95

-43.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$1.66 MYR 6.76

-39.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.57 MYR 10.48

-35.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.46 MYR 5.97

-20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$1.11 MYR 4.54

-53.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.16 MYR 4.74

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$4.74 MYR 19.32

-11.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$18.98 MYR 77.5

2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$3.01 MYR 12.30

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$3.98 MYR 16.23

-51.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.50 MYR 2.04

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MYR 65.9

$12.18 MYR 49.69

32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-42.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$0.38 MYR 1.55

134.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.77

$7.46 MYR 30.45

-67.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.87 MYR 3.56

-32.18%

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

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

7.30%

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

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

$34.9K MYR 142.2K

11.45%

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

$59.7 MYR 244

$36.65 MYR 150

62.89%

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

$31.36 MYR 128

$9.91 MYR 40.44

216.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 128

$29.71 MYR 121

5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MYR 281

$39.12 MYR 160

75.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$4.82 MYR 19.65

155.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MYR 18.22

$5.22 MYR 21.29

-14.37%

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

$129 MYR 528

$432 MYR 1,762

-70.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

-29.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 270

$59.3 MYR 242

11.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 MYR 143

$35.89 MYR 146

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 325

$83.0 MYR 339

-4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 MYR 374

$71.4 MYR 291

28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MYR 892

$409 MYR 1,669

-46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MYR 632

$228 MYR 931

-32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,988

$583 MYR 2,379

-16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MYR 1,378

$414 MYR 1,689

-18.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MYR 7,035

$2,244 MYR 9,156

-23.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$1,058 MYR 4,317

7.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,458

$914 MYR 3,728

-34.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.24

6.13%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bintulu and $409 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $20.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $250 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

Bintulu vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Bintulu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% 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: $219 in Bintulu versus $409 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Bintulu versus $837 in Penang – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 33% less than in Bintulu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Penang 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 1% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.