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: $971 in Gombak versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Gombak versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,899 in Gombak versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Gombak is roughly 15% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 30% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.24

$3.73 MYR 15.18

0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.33 MYR 99.0

$20.03 MYR 81.5

21.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.51

$4.83 MYR 19.66

4.35%

Cappuccino

$3.06 MYR 12.45

$2.94 MYR 11.95

4.08%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.71 MYR 2.90

25.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.39 MYR 1.60

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MYR 13.24

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.87

$4.50 MYR 18.32

30.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MYR 7.96

$1.79 MYR 7.26

9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-12.72%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.32

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MYR 40.81

$13.37 MYR 54.4

-24.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.37 MYR 17.78

-26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.99

$9.00 MYR 36.60

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.20

$2.87 MYR 11.67

21.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.95

$1.70 MYR 6.90

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.78

$2.61 MYR 10.64

1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.43

$1.46 MYR 5.94

25.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$1.13 MYR 4.58

87.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.05

$1.17 MYR 4.77

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MYR 6.13

$1.11 MYR 4.51

36.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$4.54 MYR 18.45

3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 77.9

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.03

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$3.98 MYR 16.20

13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.48 MYR 1.94

60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.29 MYR 49.99

$12.28 MYR 49.95

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 MYR 38.47

$7.61 MYR 30.97

24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-14.29%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.0K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

0.46%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.7K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-4.69%

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

$49.11 MYR 200

$37.45 MYR 152

31.13%

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

$8.30 MYR 33.76

$9.83 MYR 40.01

-15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 MYR 109

$29.72 MYR 121

-10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 MYR 166

$38.51 MYR 157

6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.51 MYR 26.47

$4.81 MYR 19.57

35.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 MYR 12.95

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-40.11%

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

$285 MYR 1,160

$435 MYR 1,769

-34.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.8K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 MYR 212

$60.3 MYR 245

-13.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 MYR 121

$34.72 MYR 141

-14.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 318

$85.3 MYR 347

-8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 MYR 349

$70.8 MYR 288

21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,733

$399 MYR 1,623

6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,338

$228 MYR 928

44.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,841

$591 MYR 2,406

18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,015

$417 MYR 1,694

18.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,561

$2,235 MYR 9,094

-5.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,634

$1,068 MYR 4,346

6.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 MYR 2,265

$923 MYR 3,754

-39.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.24

6.37%

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

Last update for Gombak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Gombak and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Gombak vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $255, with Gombak cheaper for home cooking.

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

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Gombak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 66% 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: $426 in Gombak versus $399 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $24.00 in Gombak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $846 in Penang versus $971 in Gombak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Gombak. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $846 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.