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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Cheras vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Cheras vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,719 per month in Cheras vs $1,870 in Penang, rent included.

Cheras is about 1% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$3.08 MYR 12.58

12.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$21.63 MYR 88.4

-12.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.08

$4.15 MYR 16.96

12.53%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$2.97 MYR 12.13

-1.68%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.74 MYR 3.02

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.33 MYR 1.37

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 19.32

$4.29 MYR 17.52

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.58

$4.45 MYR 18.20

46.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.64

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.29

$2.06 MYR 8.41

-36.89%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.57

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.9

$17.00 MYR 69.5

-8.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.24

$5.19 MYR 21.20

-28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 MYR 31.58

$14.91 MYR 61.0

-48.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.22

$2.91 MYR 11.89

-5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.45 MYR 5.92

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.50

$2.66 MYR 10.89

-3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.10 MYR 8.60

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.13 MYR 4.62

29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$1.20 MYR 4.91

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$0.89 MYR 3.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.48 MYR 1.96

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.61

$4.19 MYR 17.13

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 MYR 56.4

$19.28 MYR 78.8

-28.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.16

$2.65 MYR 10.84

3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 16.01

$3.40 MYR 13.89

15.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.45 MYR 1.83

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 49.02

$17.76 MYR 72.6

-32.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.74 MYR 3.04

39.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.51 MYR 2.07

101.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 MYR 37.37

$6.90 MYR 28.21

32.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$49.6K MYR 202.8K

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

45.61%

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

$31.7K MYR 129.5K

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

15.84%

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

$41.39 MYR 169

$39.05 MYR 160

5.99%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.92

$10.17 MYR 41.58

-11.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MYR 124

$31.51 MYR 129

-3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 MYR 169

$32.40 MYR 132

27.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.27

$5.53 MYR 22.61

7.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.91

$4.81 MYR 19.64

1.25%

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

$185 MYR 757

$240 MYR 979

-22.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

13.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$55.3 MYR 226

17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 140

$29.23 MYR 119

16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$61.1 MYR 250

17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.69 MYR 199

$52.7 MYR 215

-7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,562

$382 MYR 1,559

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 946

$225 MYR 921

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,675

$636 MYR 2,598

2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,742

$522 MYR 2,133

-18.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 9,004

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,740

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 MYR 4,869

$942 MYR 3,849

26.51%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Cheras 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.

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 $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 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 1%, 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 $1,288 per month in Cheras 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 Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $22.00 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 $859 in Cheras and $867 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.