Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Penang

🙂 Solo nomad: Kota Bharu is 12.9% cheaper than Penang without rent, and 24.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kota Bharu is 20.5% cheaper than Penang without rent, and 16.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 MYR 7.06

$3.07 MYR 12.13

-41.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.94 MYR 82.7

$21.19 MYR 83.7

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 16.82

$4.20 MYR 16.58

1.43%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MYR 9.06

$2.96 MYR 11.71

-22.64%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.74 MYR 2.93

-33.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.07

$0.37 MYR 1.45

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.23

$4.49 MYR 17.73

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MYR 16.79

$4.40 MYR 17.40

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$1.90 MYR 7.52

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 MYR 3.26

$2.05 MYR 8.11

-59.51%

Eggs

$1.47 MYR 5.83

$2.15 MYR 8.48

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 MYR 58.5

$17.37 MYR 68.6

-14.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.54

$5.00 MYR 19.74

-41.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 MYR 23.55

$14.88 MYR 58.8

-59.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$2.78 MYR 10.96

-50.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.44

$1.47 MYR 5.80

-6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.52

$2.58 MYR 10.21

-45.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$2.19 MYR 8.66

-61.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.31

$1.14 MYR 4.50

-26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.20 MYR 4.75

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.74

$0.89 MYR 3.53

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MYR 11.63

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-32.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 77.9

$19.52 MYR 77.1

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MYR 5.62

$2.62 MYR 10.34

-45.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.44

$3.48 MYR 13.75

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$0.46 MYR 1.80

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.91 MYR 47.05

$17.36 MYR 68.6

-31.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.68 MYR 2.68

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.14

$0.50 MYR 1.98

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 MYR 14.19

$7.19 MYR 28.39

-50.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.49 MYR 1.96

-6.12%

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

$30.5K MYR 120.4K

$34.0K MYR 134.2K

-10.31%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

$27.9K MYR 110.1K

-0.59%

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

$38.69 MYR 153

$39.37 MYR 156

-1.73%

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

$8.28 MYR 32.71

$10.01 MYR 39.54

-17.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MYR 105

$31.45 MYR 124

-15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 145

$33.02 MYR 130

11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 23.95

$5.53 MYR 21.84

9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.36

$4.81 MYR 19.01

-13.93%

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

$118 MYR 465

$237 MYR 937

-50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,225 MYR 24.6K

$6,252 MYR 24.7K

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MYR 207

$54.3 MYR 214

-3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.74 MYR 74.0

$29.00 MYR 115

-35.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 MYR 239

$62.5 MYR 247

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 MYR 210

$52.4 MYR 207

1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 MYR 1,029

$394 MYR 1,556

-33.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 MYR 554

$230 MYR 910

-39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 MYR 3,366

$641 MYR 2,531

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,899

$517 MYR 2,042

-7.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 MYR 9,224

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 MYR 4,703

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 MYR 1,205

$974 MYR 3,849

-68.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: February 28, 2026

Last update for Penang: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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