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: $812 in Gombak versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Gombak versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Gombak versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 4% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 39% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 MYR 10.07

$3.11 MYR 12.34

-18.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 74.2

$20.86 MYR 82.7

-10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.71 MYR 14.71

$4.14 MYR 16.42

-10.39%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.89

$2.83 MYR 11.22

-20.85%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.66

$0.74 MYR 2.93

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.25

$4.39 MYR 17.40

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 MYR 20.38

$4.45 MYR 17.63

15.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$1.90 MYR 7.53

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-2.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.91

$1.96 MYR 7.78

-23.98%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.51

$2.14 MYR 8.47

-11.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 MYR 41.40

$17.10 MYR 67.8

-38.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 13.72

$5.07 MYR 20.11

-31.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 MYR 32.33

$14.51 MYR 57.5

-43.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.03

$2.77 MYR 11.00

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.52 MYR 6.01

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 9.81

$2.60 MYR 10.30

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$2.12 MYR 8.42

-41.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.70

$1.13 MYR 4.47

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.11

$1.21 MYR 4.80

-14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$0.95 MYR 3.78

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.49 MYR 1.95

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.46

$4.14 MYR 16.41

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.52 MYR 81.4

$19.79 MYR 78.5

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.82

$2.60 MYR 10.31

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 MYR 15.82

$3.51 MYR 13.94

13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.46 MYR 1.81

47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 46.99

$18.00 MYR 71.4

-34.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.68 MYR 2.69

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.35

$0.54 MYR 2.16

103.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$6.98 MYR 27.68

-39.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

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

$30.9K MYR 122.7K

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

-8.99%

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

$28.0K MYR 110.9K

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

3.73%

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

$40.18 MYR 159

$39.05 MYR 155

2.89%

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

$9.91 MYR 39.29

$10.11 MYR 40.09

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.66 MYR 89.9

$30.91 MYR 123

-26.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 MYR 145

$32.17 MYR 128

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 23.52

$5.41 MYR 21.44

9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.71

$4.92 MYR 19.49

1.02%

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

$116 MYR 461

$240 MYR 950

-51.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,242 MYR 16.8K

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

-30.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 MYR 196

$55.5 MYR 220

-11.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.02 MYR 107

$28.97 MYR 115

-6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 MYR 211

$60.7 MYR 241

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.58 MYR 197

$52.0 MYR 206

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,521

$388 MYR 1,539

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,065

$229 MYR 909

17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,524

$638 MYR 2,530

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,884

$513 MYR 2,034

-7.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 MYR 8,152

$2,318 MYR 9,190

-11.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$961 MYR 3,809

$1,180 MYR 4,678

-18.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 MYR 2,243

$949 MYR 3,762

-40.37%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Gombak and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 68% 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 $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 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, Penang earns 68% less. 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: $383 in Gombak versus $388 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $812 in Gombak versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gombak but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Gombak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $812 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.