Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,895 in Penang.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 26% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$3.10 MYR 12.24

-40.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 MYR 80.0

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.09

$4.12 MYR 16.27

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-19.10%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.70 MYR 2.75

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MYR 18.71

$4.43 MYR 17.51

7.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.63

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.03 MYR 4.05

9.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MYR 2.41

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-69.35%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.34

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.05 MYR 87.1

$17.30 MYR 68.4

27.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.27

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-1.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.64

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-29.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.27

$2.88 MYR 11.38

34.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$1.51 MYR 5.96

17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.41

$2.63 MYR 10.38

29.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$2.09 MYR 8.24

22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$1.18 MYR 4.64

44.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.17 MYR 4.63

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$0.91 MYR 3.59

17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.48 MYR 1.91

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$4.29 MYR 16.94

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 MYR 76.0

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 16.70

$2.74 MYR 10.82

54.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.46 MYR 1.80

56.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-32.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.74 MYR 2.94

55.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.53 MYR 2.10

116.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-40.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.46 MYR 1.82

8.70%

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

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

31.58%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

12.46%

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

$26.25 MYR 104

$39.31 MYR 155

-33.22%

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

$9.95 MYR 39.29

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 112

$31.17 MYR 123

-8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 143

$33.28 MYR 131

8.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.72

$5.39 MYR 21.30

11.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$4.81 MYR 19.01

-10.60%

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

$117 MYR 461

$240 MYR 947

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

-29.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.96 MYR 47.25

$54.4 MYR 215

-78.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 MYR 249

$29.08 MYR 115

116.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.31 MYR 92.1

$60.4 MYR 239

-61.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MYR 316

$52.6 MYR 208

51.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,514

$381 MYR 1,503

0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 MYR 233

$227 MYR 895

-73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,556

$639 MYR 2,524

1.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$526 MYR 2,077

-11.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,853

$968 MYR 3,824

0.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.16

-4.81%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Bukit Mertajam and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $21.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $286, 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Penang differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($639 vs $862 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $383 in Bukit Mertajam versus $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $862 in Penang – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $862 in Penang, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.