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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $954 per month in Kemaman vs $862 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kemaman vs $1,379 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Kemaman vs $1,895 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 29% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$3.10 MYR 12.24

-15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 MYR 56.5

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 MYR 15.14

$4.12 MYR 16.27

-7.04%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.12

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-19.79%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.70 MYR 2.75

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.01

$4.43 MYR 17.51

20.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.89 MYR 7.48

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-50.75%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-45.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 MYR 56.9

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-16.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 MYR 14.60

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-25.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-37.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.23

$2.88 MYR 11.38

34.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.51 MYR 5.96

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.50

$2.63 MYR 10.38

30.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.09

$2.09 MYR 8.24

22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.97

$1.18 MYR 4.64

49.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.17 MYR 4.63

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$0.91 MYR 3.59

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.48 MYR 1.91

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.29 MYR 16.94

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 MYR 80.2

$19.41 MYR 76.7

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.68

$2.74 MYR 10.82

54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.29

$3.39 MYR 13.39

59.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.46 MYR 1.80

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.68

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-34.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$0.74 MYR 2.94

63.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$0.53 MYR 2.10

109.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MYR 16.76

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-38.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.46 MYR 1.82

8.70%

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

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

30.62%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

13.40%

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

$73.1 MYR 289

$39.31 MYR 155

85.86%

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

$9.97 MYR 39.38

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 112

$31.17 MYR 123

-8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$33.28 MYR 131

11.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.83

$5.39 MYR 21.30

11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.16

$4.81 MYR 19.01

16.63%

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

$116 MYR 456

$240 MYR 947

-51.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

-28.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 438

$54.4 MYR 215

103.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 108

$29.08 MYR 115

-5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$60.4 MYR 239

22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 314

$52.6 MYR 208

51.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$381 MYR 1,503

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,073

$227 MYR 895

19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,583

$639 MYR 2,524

2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,861

$526 MYR 2,077

-10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 MYR 7,107

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-22.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 MYR 3,481

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-26.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kemaman versus $381 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 $21.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 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 $1,431 per month in Kemaman and $1,294 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 $21.00 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 $954 in Kemaman and $862 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 $862, than in Kemaman at $954. 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.