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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Butterworth vs $869 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,302 per month in Butterworth vs $1,385 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,756 per month in Butterworth vs $1,901 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 37% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 MYR 12.20

$3.04 MYR 12.34

-0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.47 MYR 87.1

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.49

$4.33 MYR 17.57

11.09%

Cappuccino

$2.84 MYR 11.53

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-3.40%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.68 MYR 2.78

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.36 MYR 1.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 17.08

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.60

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-2.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$1.81 MYR 7.32

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.20

$0.99 MYR 4.00

5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.00

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-14.78%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.59

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.32 MYR 58.1

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 MYR 18.71

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-11.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.28

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.83

$1.47 MYR 5.96

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.57 MYR 10.43

1.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.88

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-31.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.18 MYR 4.79

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.16 MYR 4.71

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.84

$0.95 MYR 3.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.49 MYR 1.97

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.51 MYR 79.1

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.03

$2.62 MYR 10.61

3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.86

$3.40 MYR 13.80

0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.83

$0.45 MYR 1.82

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.55

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-31.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.75

$0.69 MYR 2.80

-1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 MYR 19.53

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-33.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.01

$0.47 MYR 1.89

6.38%

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

$33.2K MYR 134.7K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

0.87%

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

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

1.31%

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

$39.38 MYR 160

$38.60 MYR 157

2.02%

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

$10.27 MYR 41.64

$10.06 MYR 40.79

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.38 MYR 103

$31.44 MYR 127

-19.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.37 MYR 147

$33.04 MYR 134

10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.03

$5.42 MYR 21.97

9.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.59

$4.91 MYR 19.90

3.46%

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

$240 MYR 971

$238 MYR 963

0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,304 MYR 25.6K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 MYR 226

$54.6 MYR 221

2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.30 MYR 115

$28.39 MYR 115

-0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 MYR 244

$60.5 MYR 245

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$53.5 MYR 217

-1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,553

$387 MYR 1,569

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,093

$230 MYR 933

17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,599

$640 MYR 2,597

0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,921

$525 MYR 2,131

-9.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 MYR 8,021

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-12.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$955 MYR 3,873

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-19.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Butterworth versus $387 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: $256 vs $287 – 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: $848 in Butterworth, $869 in Penang – roughly 3% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Butterworth and $1,304 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 $848 in Butterworth and $869 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $848 in Butterworth and $869 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 $848 in Butterworth to $869 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.