Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Penang

For one person, living costs are similar in Kepong and in Penang: $896 and $913 a month, rent and utilities included.

43

Cost of Living Index in Kepong
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Kepong Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index

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Kepong

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$896

/mo nomad

Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kepong and in Penang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kepong and in Penang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $896 per month in Kepong vs $913 in Penang, rent included.

Kepong $896
Penang $913

A couple spends around $1,392 per month in Kepong vs $1,403 in Penang, rent included.

Kepong $1,392
Penang $1,403

A family of three spends $1,888 per month in Kepong vs $1,894 in Penang, rent included.

Kepong $1,888
Penang $1,894

Kepong is about 2% cheaper than Penang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kepong and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 34% lower, Penang 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.23

$3.73 MYR 15.18

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.13 MYR 98.3

$19.91 MYR 81.1

21.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MYR 20.31

$4.78 MYR 19.47

4.39%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.13

$2.98 MYR 12.15

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

$0.86 MYR 3.49

$0.75 MYR 3.07

14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.69

$0.37 MYR 1.50

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 MYR 13.35

$4.06 MYR 16.55

-19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 MYR 22.78

$4.38 MYR 17.83

27.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.09

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-4.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.77

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-19.32%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$2.22 MYR 9.04

-18.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 40.02

$13.46 MYR 54.9

-27.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 MYR 13.52

$4.45 MYR 18.13

-25.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 MYR 37.84

$8.70 MYR 35.45

6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.85

$2.92 MYR 11.89

16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.65 MYR 6.72

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.69

$2.61 MYR 10.63

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.77

$1.40 MYR 5.70

18.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.93

$1.05 MYR 4.28

39.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.02

$1.12 MYR 4.55

53.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.38

$1.10 MYR 4.47

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.59 MYR 2.39

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.82

$4.69 MYR 19.09

-6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 MYR 56.4

$19.31 MYR 78.7

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.77

$3.00 MYR 12.24

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.30

$5.41 MYR 22.04

-44.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MYR 3.34

$0.50 MYR 2.04

64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.7

$12.03 MYR 49.00

3.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.86

$1.66 MYR 6.78

-42.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.38 MYR 1.54

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 MYR 36.10

$7.47 MYR 30.44

18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-7.37%

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

$43.6K MYR 177.6K

$44.2K MYR 180.1K

-1.36%

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

$34.8K MYR 141.9K

$35.8K MYR 145.7K

-2.60%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$36.68 MYR 149

35.41%

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

$8.29 MYR 33.78

$9.56 MYR 38.94

-13.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.18 MYR 111

$29.49 MYR 120

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 MYR 166

$39.20 MYR 160

3.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 MYR 25.47

$4.85 MYR 19.78

28.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.75

$4.78 MYR 19.47

1.46%

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

$238 MYR 968

$398 MYR 1,620

-40.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,440 MYR 18.1K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

-58.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MYR 217

$60.9 MYR 248

-12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 MYR 99.4

$35.45 MYR 144

-31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 MYR 338

$83.6 MYR 340

-0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 MYR 354

$70.2 MYR 286

23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MYR 1,654

$408 MYR 1,662

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 MYR 1,184

$287 MYR 1,170

1.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 MYR 2,906

$698 MYR 2,842

2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,242

$534 MYR 2,176

3.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 MYR 8,122

$2,117 MYR 8,624

-5.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,166 MYR 4,751

$1,261 MYR 5,137

-7.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 MYR 2,647

$931 MYR 3,795

-30.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.04

0.50%

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

Last update for Kepong: October 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kepong

$291 32.4%

Penang

$287 31.5% 1.2% $3.5

Groceries & Markets

Kepong

$227 25.3%

Penang

$257 28.2% 13.4% $30

Eating Out

Kepong

$113 12.6%

Penang

$113 12.4% 0.2% $0.2

Clothing & Footwear

Kepong

$111 12.4%

Penang

$113 12.3% 1.1% $1.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kepong

$85 9.5%

Penang

$76 8.3% 11.1% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Kepong

$50 5.6%

Penang

$49 5.3% 3.2% $1.6

Getting Around

Kepong

$18 2.1%

Penang

$18 1.9% 4.6% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Kepong versus $408 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Penang. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Kepong versus $20 in Penang. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Kepong vs $257 in Penang – so Kepong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kepong

🇲🇾 Penang

🕒 Local time

03:01 3:01 AM

Same time as Kepong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,960

158,336

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kepong Penang 280 km

From you

Kepong
Penang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kepong vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $896 in Kepong, $913 in Penang – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,344 per month in Kepong and $1,369 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $406 in Kepong and $408 in Penang. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Penang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $238 per month in Kepong and $398 in Penang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $896 in Kepong and $913 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $896 in Kepong to $913 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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