Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Kemaman vs $837 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,334 per month in Kemaman vs $1,307 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,760 per month in Kemaman vs $1,776 in Penang, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 9% more than Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kemaman and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 34% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$3.72 MYR 15.24

-26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.83 MYR 60.7

$19.77 MYR 80.9

-24.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.73

$4.57 MYR 18.72

-5.25%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.82

$2.98 MYR 12.18

5.03%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$0.37 MYR 1.50

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 MYR 13.98

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 23.71

$4.53 MYR 18.53

27.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.80 MYR 7.37

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.06 MYR 4.32

-0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$1.72 MYR 7.05

-41.86%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$2.14 MYR 8.76

-46.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 MYR 41.39

$13.06 MYR 53.5

-22.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$4.32 MYR 17.68

-25.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 MYR 38.61

$8.52 MYR 34.87

10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$2.93 MYR 11.99

21.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$1.66 MYR 6.78

15.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$2.57 MYR 10.51

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.46 MYR 5.99

21.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.82

$1.11 MYR 4.55

93.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.28

$1.16 MYR 4.76

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.14 MYR 4.67

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.15

$4.74 MYR 19.38

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 77.6

$18.98 MYR 77.7

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.99

$3.01 MYR 12.34

-10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MYR 18.86

$3.98 MYR 16.29

15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.50 MYR 2.05

42.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.71 MYR 47.94

$12.18 MYR 49.85

-3.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.73 MYR 7.09

-29.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.38 MYR 1.56

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.25 MYR 37.85

$7.46 MYR 30.55

23.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.87 MYR 3.57

-43.68%

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

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

0.49%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

-5.47%

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

$49.20 MYR 201

$36.65 MYR 150

34.24%

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

$8.44 MYR 34.55

$9.91 MYR 40.57

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 MYR 110

$29.71 MYR 122

-9.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 MYR 144

$39.12 MYR 160

-9.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 MYR 29.00

$4.82 MYR 19.71

46.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.82

$5.22 MYR 21.37

-7.28%

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

$123 MYR 503

$432 MYR 1,768

-71.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

-0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 MYR 209

$59.3 MYR 243

-13.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 MYR 124

$35.89 MYR 147

-15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 MYR 324

$83.0 MYR 340

-4.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MYR 354

$71.4 MYR 292

21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,645

$409 MYR 1,675

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,372

$228 MYR 934

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 MYR 2,746

$583 MYR 2,387

15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MYR 2,189

$414 MYR 1,694

29.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 MYR 8,461

$2,244 MYR 9,187

-7.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MYR 4,194

$1,058 MYR 4,331

-3.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

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 Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Kemaman versus $409 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Kemaman versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $250 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kemaman vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kemaman costs about 9% more than Penang, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,363 per month in Kemaman and $1,256 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Kemaman and $20.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $909 in Kemaman and $837 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Kemaman at $909. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.