Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Gombak versus $849 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Gombak versus $1,356 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,626 in Gombak versus $1,863 in Penang.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 5% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 39% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 MYR 10.86

$3.14 MYR 12.86

-15.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.9

$21.56 MYR 88.3

-11.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 MYR 15.00

$4.18 MYR 17.11

-12.44%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.47

$2.95 MYR 12.05

-21.69%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.34 MYR 1.37

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MYR 14.19

$4.38 MYR 17.92

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.57

$4.54 MYR 18.60

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$1.00 MYR 4.08

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.96 MYR 8.01

-26.02%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.70

$2.03 MYR 8.31

-7.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 MYR 44.00

$17.29 MYR 70.8

-37.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.11

$5.23 MYR 21.42

-34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 MYR 32.65

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-45.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.23

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.92

$1.46 MYR 5.99

15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 10.17

$2.61 MYR 10.69

-4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.11

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-40.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.64

$1.18 MYR 4.81

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.16 MYR 4.74

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.91 MYR 3.72

5.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.45 MYR 1.85

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.49

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 MYR 78.9

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.06

$2.70 MYR 11.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 MYR 15.66

$3.41 MYR 13.95

12.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.46 MYR 1.87

47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.66

$17.34 MYR 71.0

-32.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.68 MYR 2.80

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$0.53 MYR 2.18

107.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MYR 17.25

$6.89 MYR 28.20

-38.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.46 MYR 1.89

6.52%

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

$30.9K MYR 126.3K

$33.0K MYR 135.0K

-6.42%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.8K

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

1.93%

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

$41.04 MYR 168

$38.52 MYR 158

6.54%

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

$9.57 MYR 39.18

$10.16 MYR 41.57

-5.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.09 MYR 94.5

$31.68 MYR 130

-27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 MYR 148

$32.43 MYR 133

11.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 MYR 23.86

$5.57 MYR 22.82

4.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.61

$4.89 MYR 20.02

3.07%

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

$119 MYR 488

$238 MYR 974

-49.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,236 MYR 17.3K

$6,317 MYR 25.9K

-32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.65 MYR 199

$54.3 MYR 222

-10.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.37 MYR 112

$29.23 MYR 120

-6.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MYR 223

$61.8 MYR 253

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.32 MYR 198

$52.6 MYR 215

-8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,577

$380 MYR 1,553

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,120

$222 MYR 910

22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,673

$641 MYR 2,621

1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,932

$516 MYR 2,112

-8.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,780 MYR 7,287

$2,245 MYR 9,189

-20.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 MYR 5,336

$1,168 MYR 4,782

11.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MYR 2,254

$921 MYR 3,768

-40.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.16

-4.81%

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

Last update for Gombak: July 12, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Gombak and $380 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Gombak vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $285 per month, with Gombak 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

Gombak vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gombak wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Penang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gombak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Penang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $385 in Gombak versus $380 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Penang. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gombak – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gombak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $810 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gombak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gombak 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.

Expats usually find Gombak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.