Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Johor Bahru versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Johor Bahru versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,826 in Johor Bahru versus $1,901 in Penang.

Living in Johor Bahru is roughly 8% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 30% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.56

$3.04 MYR 12.34

18.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-13.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.33 MYR 17.57

8.31%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$2.94 MYR 11.90

2.72%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.68 MYR 2.78

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.36 MYR 1.48

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 26.90

$4.46 MYR 18.10

48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$1.81 MYR 7.32

0.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.25

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-36.45%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.49

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-38.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.17

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-33.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 MYR 33.29

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-45.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.21

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.47 MYR 5.96

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.04

$2.57 MYR 10.43

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-40.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$1.18 MYR 4.79

-3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$1.16 MYR 4.71

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$0.95 MYR 3.87

-1.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.49 MYR 1.97

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$2.62 MYR 10.61

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.45 MYR 1.82

64.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-32.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$0.69 MYR 2.80

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$0.54 MYR 2.21

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 MYR 38.15

$7.20 MYR 29.19

30.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.47 MYR 1.89

-2.13%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

8.77%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

0.46%

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

$41.08 MYR 167

$38.60 MYR 157

6.42%

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

$9.14 MYR 37.06

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-9.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MYR 123

$31.44 MYR 127

-3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 MYR 142

$33.04 MYR 134

5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 24.37

$5.42 MYR 21.97

10.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.91 MYR 19.90

2.65%

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

$184 MYR 746

$238 MYR 963

-22.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

11.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.20 MYR 200

$54.6 MYR 221

-9.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 77.3

$28.39 MYR 115

-32.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 MYR 219

$60.5 MYR 245

-10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 165

$53.5 MYR 217

-23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,901

$387 MYR 1,569

21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,611

$230 MYR 933

72.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 MYR 3,311

$640 MYR 2,597

27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,478

$525 MYR 2,131

16.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,432

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-7.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MYR 4,714

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-1.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MYR 4,492

$951 MYR 3,858

16.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Johor Bahru and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 16% 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 Johor Bahru vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $287 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

Johor Bahru vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Penang differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $869 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 16% more on average, 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: $469 in Johor Bahru versus $387 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $943 per month in Johor Bahru versus $869 in Penang – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Penang versus $943 in Johor Bahru, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Johor Bahru. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Johor Bahru 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 8% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.