Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $865 in George Town versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in George Town versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in George Town versus $1,870 in Penang.

Monthly costs are close between George Town and Penang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 35% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$3.08 MYR 12.56

-2.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.6

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-0.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.91

$4.15 MYR 16.95

-0.24%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-13.13%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.74 MYR 3.02

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.33 MYR 1.37

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$4.45 MYR 18.18

3.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.03 MYR 4.22

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-20.87%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.12 MYR 8.66

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.9

$17.00 MYR 69.4

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.86

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.15

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-27.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$2.91 MYR 11.88

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-19.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-41.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.89 MYR 3.62

-16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.48 MYR 1.96

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$4.19 MYR 17.11

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MYR 78.4

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.11

$2.65 MYR 10.83

2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.44

$3.40 MYR 13.88

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.45 MYR 1.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 47.49

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-34.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.74 MYR 3.03

62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.51 MYR 2.06

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MYR 26.96

$6.90 MYR 28.18

-4.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

-0.34%

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

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

-8.97%

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

$38.72 MYR 158

$39.05 MYR 159

-0.85%

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

$9.78 MYR 39.94

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.08 MYR 119

$31.51 MYR 129

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MYR 157

$32.40 MYR 132

18.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MYR 15.55

$5.53 MYR 22.59

-31.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MYR 15.99

$4.81 MYR 19.62

-18.50%

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

$148 MYR 606

$240 MYR 978

-38.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

-26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 215

$55.3 MYR 226

-4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 MYR 116

$29.23 MYR 119

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$61.1 MYR 249

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MYR 214

$52.7 MYR 215

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,488

$382 MYR 1,558

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,049

$225 MYR 920

14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,901

$636 MYR 2,596

11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,019

$522 MYR 2,131

-5.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,996

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MYR 4,378

$942 MYR 3,845

13.85%

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 George Town: July 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in George Town and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 14% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $286 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 14% higher in George Town, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $364 in George Town versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 53% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Penang. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though George Town gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Penang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town and Penang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – George Town wins on affordability, Penang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.