Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Cheras vs $846 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,558 per month in Cheras vs $1,313 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,973 per month in Cheras vs $1,779 in Penang, rent included.

Cheras costs about 35% more than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheras and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 17% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 MYR 14.94

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 MYR 100

$20.03 MYR 81.5

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$4.83 MYR 19.66

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.94 MYR 11.95

5.78%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$0.71 MYR 2.90

21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.39 MYR 1.60

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$4.22 MYR 17.17

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 MYR 25.83

$4.50 MYR 18.32

41.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.75

$1.79 MYR 7.26

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.22

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-16.76%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.52

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 MYR 73.3

$13.37 MYR 54.4

34.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$4.37 MYR 17.78

3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.69

$9.00 MYR 36.60

22.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.47

$2.87 MYR 11.67

24.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$1.70 MYR 6.90

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.82

$2.61 MYR 10.64

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$1.46 MYR 5.94

15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.60

$1.13 MYR 4.58

86.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.91

$1.17 MYR 4.77

45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.11 MYR 4.51

20.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.60

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 MYR 57.1

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-28.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.38

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.69

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-21.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.48 MYR 1.94

52.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$12.28 MYR 49.95

1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-25.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 MYR 38.63

$7.61 MYR 30.97

24.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-5.95%

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

$42.9K MYR 174.7K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

3.23%

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

$34.8K MYR 141.7K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

0.25%

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

$49.55 MYR 202

$37.45 MYR 152

32.31%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.83

$9.83 MYR 40.01

14.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MYR 113

$29.72 MYR 121

-6.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MYR 208

$38.51 MYR 157

32.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.81 MYR 19.57

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.88

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-7.91%

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

$163 MYR 662

$435 MYR 1,769

-62.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,548 MYR 18.5K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-57.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MYR 265

$60.3 MYR 245

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.08 MYR 122

$34.72 MYR 141

-13.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 331

$85.3 MYR 347

-4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 MYR 346

$70.8 MYR 288

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MYR 3,888

$399 MYR 1,623

139.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,925

$228 MYR 928

107.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 MYR 3,040

$591 MYR 2,406

26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,980

$417 MYR 1,694

16.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,235 MYR 9,094

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 MYR 4,346

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 MYR 4,776

$923 MYR 3,754

27.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.24

-4.25%

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

Last update for Cheras: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Cheras versus $399 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Cheras, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Cheras versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $255 – making Penang 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

Cheras vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,715 per month in Cheras and $1,270 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Cheras and $20.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Cheras at $1,143. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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