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: $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,901 in Penang.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 24% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 51% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$3.04 MYR 12.34

-37.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 80.9

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-7.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 15.02

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-24.15%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.68 MYR 2.78

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.36 MYR 1.48

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MYR 12.74

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MYR 19.04

$4.46 MYR 18.10

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$0.99 MYR 4.00

10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-72.41%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 MYR 92.3

$17.36 MYR 70.4

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-3.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MYR 42.28

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.75

$2.87 MYR 11.66

35.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.47 MYR 5.96

19.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.10

$2.57 MYR 10.43

35.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.77

$2.11 MYR 8.57

26.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.12

$1.18 MYR 4.79

49.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.04

$1.16 MYR 4.71

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$0.95 MYR 3.87

16.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.49 MYR 1.97

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 76.7

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-3.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$2.62 MYR 10.61

63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.45 MYR 1.82

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.83

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-32.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$0.69 MYR 2.80

73.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$0.54 MYR 2.21

109.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-40.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.47 MYR 1.89

-2.13%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

34.27%

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

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

14.59%

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

$26.68 MYR 108

$38.60 MYR 157

-30.88%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MYR 117

$31.44 MYR 127

-8.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 151

$33.04 MYR 134

12.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$5.42 MYR 21.97

9.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MYR 16.85

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-15.27%

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

$119 MYR 483

$238 MYR 963

-49.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

-31.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$54.6 MYR 221

-78.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 MYR 256

$28.39 MYR 115

122.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.23 MYR 94.2

$60.5 MYR 245

-61.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 MYR 317

$53.5 MYR 217

46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$387 MYR 1,569

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 238

$230 MYR 933

-74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,662

$640 MYR 2,597

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$525 MYR 2,131

-9.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$990 MYR 4,016

$951 MYR 3,858

4.10%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Bukit Mertajam and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 4% 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 $22.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $287, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($661 vs $869 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 4% 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: $391 in Bukit Mertajam versus $387 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 $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $869 in Penang – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bukit Mertajam 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, 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 32% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.