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: $796 in Bintulu versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bintulu versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Bintulu versus $1,870 in Penang.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 8% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 40% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.63

$3.08 MYR 12.56

24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 MYR 71.1

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$4.15 MYR 16.95

33.01%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-6.06%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.33 MYR 1.37

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-33.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$4.45 MYR 18.18

13.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-8.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.58

$1.03 MYR 4.22

33.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-38.35%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.12 MYR 8.66

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 MYR 68.4

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-1.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-33.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-62.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.91 MYR 11.88

-44.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-39.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-49.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-53.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$0.89 MYR 3.62

-23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$0.48 MYR 1.96

-10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MYR 16.46

$4.19 MYR 17.11

-3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 80.6

$19.28 MYR 78.7

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.72

$2.65 MYR 10.83

8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$3.40 MYR 13.88

-43.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.45 MYR 1.83

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.40 MYR 62.9

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-13.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$0.74 MYR 3.03

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$0.51 MYR 2.06

82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MYR 9.46

$6.90 MYR 28.18

-66.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.50 MYR 2.03

10.00%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

25.77%

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

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

35.40%

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

$57.3 MYR 234

$39.05 MYR 159

46.76%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.21

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-7.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.91 MYR 122

$31.51 MYR 129

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 MYR 266

$32.40 MYR 132

101.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$5.53 MYR 22.59

7.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$4.81 MYR 19.62

-12.89%

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

$121 MYR 493

$240 MYR 978

-49.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

13.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 251

$55.3 MYR 226

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 MYR 138

$29.23 MYR 119

16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 312

$61.1 MYR 249

25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 MYR 362

$52.7 MYR 215

68.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MYR 875

$382 MYR 1,558

-43.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MYR 622

$225 MYR 920

-32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,881

$636 MYR 2,596

-27.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,287

$522 MYR 2,131

-39.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MYR 6,956

$2,203 MYR 8,996

-22.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,711

$1,160 MYR 4,735

-0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MYR 2,455

$942 MYR 3,845

-36.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.16

8.17%

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

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Bintulu and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 57% 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: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $286 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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Penang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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: $214 in Bintulu versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Bintulu versus $867 in Penang – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 15% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu 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 Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.