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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Kemaman vs $869 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,416 per month in Kemaman vs $1,385 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,876 per month in Kemaman vs $1,901 in Penang, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 10% more than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kemaman and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.52 MYR 10.20

$3.04 MYR 12.34

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 MYR 57.2

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-34.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 14.99

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MYR 9.30

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-22.11%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.36 MYR 1.48

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.40

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.16

$4.46 MYR 18.10

22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.81 MYR 7.32

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$0.99 MYR 4.00

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.97

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-51.72%

Eggs

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-45.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 MYR 57.4

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 MYR 15.07

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-28.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 MYR 39.36

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-35.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 MYR 16.11

$2.87 MYR 11.66

38.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.10

$1.47 MYR 5.96

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.36

$2.57 MYR 10.43

28.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.23

$2.11 MYR 8.57

19.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.18 MYR 4.79

44.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.16 MYR 4.71

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$0.95 MYR 3.87

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.49 MYR 1.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.58

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.19 MYR 81.9

$19.63 MYR 79.6

2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.77

$2.62 MYR 10.61

67.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 MYR 22.06

$3.40 MYR 13.80

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.45 MYR 1.82

64.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.45

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-32.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.69 MYR 2.80

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.45

$0.54 MYR 2.21

103.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 17.15

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-41.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.47 MYR 1.89

4.26%

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

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

33.55%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

16.73%

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

$74.5 MYR 302

$38.60 MYR 157

93.03%

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

$9.68 MYR 39.23

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 MYR 113

$31.44 MYR 127

-11.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 151

$33.04 MYR 134

12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 MYR 23.78

$5.42 MYR 21.97

8.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$4.91 MYR 19.90

16.70%

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

$117 MYR 476

$238 MYR 963

-50.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

-31.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$54.6 MYR 221

98.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$28.39 MYR 115

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MYR 305

$60.5 MYR 245

24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MYR 318

$53.5 MYR 217

46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MYR 1,578

$387 MYR 1,569

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,073

$230 MYR 933

15.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,656

$640 MYR 2,597

2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,894

$525 MYR 2,131

-11.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,157

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-21.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$896 MYR 3,631

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-24.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Kemaman versus $387 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: $274 vs $287 – 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 10%, 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 $1,435 per month in Kemaman and $1,304 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 $957 in Kemaman and $869 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 $957 in Kemaman and $869 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.