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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Cheras vs $862 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Cheras vs $1,379 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cheras vs $1,895 in Penang, rent included.

Cheras is about 3% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheras and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 37% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$3.10 MYR 12.24

16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 MYR 73.8

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-11.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.07

$4.12 MYR 16.27

11.17%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$2.88 MYR 11.36

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

$0.84 MYR 3.30

$0.70 MYR 2.75

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.33 MYR 1.32

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 MYR 18.41

$4.30 MYR 16.98

8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 MYR 25.60

$4.43 MYR 17.51

46.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-38.19%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.04 MYR 8.07

5.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 MYR 61.4

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-10.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.16

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-27.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 MYR 29.79

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-49.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.46

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.51 MYR 5.96

15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.12

$2.63 MYR 10.38

-2.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-40.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$1.18 MYR 4.64

29.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.17 MYR 4.63

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$0.91 MYR 3.59

-3.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.48 MYR 1.91

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.66

$4.29 MYR 16.94

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 MYR 57.3

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$2.74 MYR 10.82

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MYR 15.58

$3.39 MYR 13.39

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.46 MYR 1.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.73

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-32.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.01

$0.74 MYR 2.94

37.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.53 MYR 2.10

88.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.22

$6.95 MYR 27.46

35.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.46 MYR 1.82

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

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

47.94%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

13.13%

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

$40.52 MYR 160

$39.31 MYR 155

3.08%

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

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-10.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 MYR 120

$31.17 MYR 123

-2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 162

$33.28 MYR 131

23.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.19

$5.39 MYR 21.30

8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$4.81 MYR 19.01

5.61%

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

$187 MYR 738

$240 MYR 947

-22.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

12.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 261

$54.4 MYR 215

21.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 135

$29.08 MYR 115

17.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$60.4 MYR 239

22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.12 MYR 190

$52.6 MYR 208

-8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,489

$381 MYR 1,503

-0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 913

$227 MYR 895

2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,571

$639 MYR 2,524

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,693

$526 MYR 2,077

-18.49%

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)

$1,233 MYR 4,871

$968 MYR 3,824

27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Cheras: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Cheras versus $381 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $21.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $286 – making Cheras 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 – Penang is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,259 per month in Cheras and $1,294 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 21% more in Penang, 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 $19.00 in Cheras and $21.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $839 in Cheras and $862 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – 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 Cheras. 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.