Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Da Nang vs $846 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,389 per month in Da Nang vs $1,313 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Da Nang vs $1,779 in Penang, rent included.

Da Nang costs about 1% more than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Da Nang and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 38% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 ₫60.5K

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-37.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 ₫496.2K

$20.03 MYR 81.5

-4.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₫116.3K

$4.83 MYR 19.66

-7.04%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.1K

$2.94 MYR 11.95

-39.46%

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

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.71 MYR 2.90

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,264

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 ₫34.3K

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-68.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₫60.7K

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-48.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₫38.2K

$1.79 MYR 7.26

-17.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₫32.0K

$1.09 MYR 4.45

12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.6K

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-38.73%

Eggs

$1.54 ₫39.9K

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-30.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 ₫339.5K

$13.37 MYR 54.4

-2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 ₫105.7K

$4.37 MYR 17.78

-6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ₫238.2K

$9.00 MYR 36.60

2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₫67.1K

$2.87 MYR 11.67

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.4K

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-50.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ₫37.9K

$1.46 MYR 5.94

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.0K

$1.13 MYR 4.58

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.9K

$1.17 MYR 4.77

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₫26.2K

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.6K

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 ₫38.7K

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-67.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₫203.4K

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-59.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₫21.6K

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-71.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₫56.7K

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-44.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,932

$0.48 MYR 1.94

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.90 ₫126.9K

$12.28 MYR 49.95

-60.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-39.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.8K

$0.42 MYR 1.70

45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.51 ₫505.7K

$7.61 MYR 30.97

156.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.6K

$0.84 MYR 3.40

8.33%

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

$31.2K ₫807.6M

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

-25.10%

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

$27.7K ₫717.0M

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-20.40%

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

$89.1 ₫2.3M

$37.45 MYR 152

138.00%

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

$6.02 ₫156.0K

$9.83 MYR 40.01

-38.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.18 ₫211.9K

$29.72 MYR 121

-72.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.12 ₫573.4K

$38.51 MYR 157

-42.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.33 ₫138.3K

$4.81 MYR 19.57

10.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 ₫81.0K

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-41.24%

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

$163 ₫4.2M

$435 MYR 1,769

-62.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ₫394.2M

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

42.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 ₫1.2M

$60.3 MYR 245

-26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.06 ₫727.2K

$34.72 MYR 141

-19.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$85.3 MYR 347

18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 ₫2.1M

$70.8 MYR 288

16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 ₫13.8M

$399 MYR 1,623

33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₫8.8M

$228 MYR 928

49.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ₫27.1M

$591 MYR 2,406

76.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₫20.4M

$417 MYR 1,694

89.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,768 ₫97.7M

$2,235 MYR 9,094

68.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 ₫33.9M

$1,068 MYR 4,346

22.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 ₫9.1M

$923 MYR 3,754

-62.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

4.24

152.83%

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

Last update for Da Nang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $531 in Da Nang 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 164% higher in Penang, 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 Da Nang versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $255 – making Da Nang 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

Da Nang vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $855 in Da Nang, $846 in Penang – roughly 1% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,282 per month in Da Nang 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Da Nang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $20.00 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 $855 in Da Nang and $846 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $846 in Penang to $855 in Da Nang. 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 Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.