Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Butterworth vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Butterworth vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,766 per month in Butterworth vs $1,870 in Penang, rent included.

Butterworth is about 2% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Butterworth and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 36% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.58

$3.08 MYR 12.57

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.93 MYR 85.5

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.11

$4.15 MYR 16.95

12.77%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.65

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-4.04%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.33 MYR 1.37

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$4.29 MYR 17.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 MYR 17.78

$4.45 MYR 18.19

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$1.03 MYR 4.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-18.93%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.12 MYR 8.67

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.62 MYR 59.7

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MYR 19.25

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.52

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-33.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$2.91 MYR 11.88

-3.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$1.45 MYR 5.92

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.96

$2.66 MYR 10.88

0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.21

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-27.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.13 MYR 4.62

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$0.89 MYR 3.62

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.48 MYR 1.96

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.83

$4.19 MYR 17.12

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.14 MYR 74.1

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.02

$2.65 MYR 10.84

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.19

$3.40 MYR 13.88

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.45 MYR 1.83

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.55 MYR 47.16

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-34.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.51 MYR 2.06

-1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.86

$6.90 MYR 28.19

-33.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 136.8K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

-1.68%

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

$27.6K MYR 112.5K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

0.77%

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

$39.20 MYR 160

$39.05 MYR 159

0.38%

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

$10.29 MYR 42.00

$10.17 MYR 41.54

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MYR 105

$31.51 MYR 129

-18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MYR 149

$32.40 MYR 132

12.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$5.53 MYR 22.59

7.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$4.81 MYR 19.62

2.49%

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

$239 MYR 975

$240 MYR 978

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,139 MYR 25.1K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

-0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MYR 222

$55.3 MYR 226

-1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 MYR 119

$29.23 MYR 119

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 248

$61.1 MYR 249

-0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 MYR 216

$52.7 MYR 215

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,556

$382 MYR 1,558

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,118

$225 MYR 920

21.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,646

$636 MYR 2,596

1.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,940

$522 MYR 2,131

-8.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 MYR 8,459

$2,203 MYR 8,997

-5.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 MYR 4,698

$1,160 MYR 4,735

-0.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Butterworth: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Butterworth versus $382 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Butterworth versus $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $286 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Butterworth vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $846 in Butterworth, $867 in Penang – roughly 2% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,268 per month in Butterworth and $1,300 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $846 in Butterworth and $867 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $846 in Butterworth and $867 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $846 in Butterworth to $867 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.