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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $965 per month in Kemaman vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,413 per month in Kemaman vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,861 per month in Kemaman vs $1,870 in Penang, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 11% more than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kemaman and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 27% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$3.08 MYR 12.57

-15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-34.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 MYR 15.00

$4.15 MYR 16.95

-11.57%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.51

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-21.55%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.39

$0.33 MYR 1.37

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$4.29 MYR 17.51

0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.29

$4.45 MYR 18.19

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.98

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-55.83%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-45.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 MYR 57.0

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-17.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.33

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-27.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.53

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-35.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MYR 16.37

$2.91 MYR 11.88

37.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.45 MYR 5.92

22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.67

$2.66 MYR 10.88

25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.66

$2.10 MYR 8.59

24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.13

$1.13 MYR 4.62

54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$0.89 MYR 3.62

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.48 MYR 1.96

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.90

$4.19 MYR 17.12

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 MYR 79.8

$19.28 MYR 78.7

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$2.65 MYR 10.84

62.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 MYR 22.38

$3.40 MYR 13.88

61.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$0.45 MYR 1.83

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.40

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-34.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.74 MYR 3.04

62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.51 MYR 2.06

113.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$6.90 MYR 28.19

-36.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

25.98%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

15.47%

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

$73.8 MYR 301

$39.05 MYR 159

89.01%

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

$9.71 MYR 39.65

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-4.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.92 MYR 118

$31.51 MYR 129

-8.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 MYR 151

$32.40 MYR 132

13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.78

$5.53 MYR 22.59

5.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 MYR 22.48

$4.81 MYR 19.62

14.55%

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

$120 MYR 490

$240 MYR 978

-49.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

-30.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$55.3 MYR 226

94.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 MYR 114

$29.23 MYR 119

-4.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 304

$61.1 MYR 249

21.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 322

$52.7 MYR 215

49.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$382 MYR 1,558

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MYR 1,080

$225 MYR 920

17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,658

$636 MYR 2,596

2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,918

$522 MYR 2,131

-10.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 8,220

$2,203 MYR 8,997

-8.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 MYR 4,705

$1,160 MYR 4,735

-0.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

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 Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Kemaman versus $382 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 $14.00 in Kemaman versus $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $286 – 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

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,448 per month in Kemaman and $1,300 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 $14.00 in Kemaman and $22.00 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 $965 in Kemaman and $867 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $965 in Kemaman and $867 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.