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

🙂 Solo nomad: Kota Kinabalu is 4.3% cheaper than Penang without rent, and 2.7% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Kota Kinabalu is 18.4% more expensive than Penang without rent, and 1.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.62

$2.97 MYR 12.54

16.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 MYR 80.7

$20.84 MYR 87.9

-8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 20.2

$4.34 MYR 18.32

10.37%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MYR 11.14

$2.84 MYR 11.97

-7.04%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.72

$0.69 MYR 2.89

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.56

$0.36 MYR 1.52

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.3 MYR 9.71

$4.23 MYR 17.84

-45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 MYR 14.55

$4.41 MYR 18.6

-21.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MYR 7.29

$1.82 MYR 7.65

-4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 MYR 5

$0.99 MYR 4.18

19.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.28

$2.04 MYR 8.62

-15.20%

Eggs

$2.89 MYR 12.18

$2.05 MYR 8.63

40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.25 MYR 111

$17.11 MYR 72.2

53.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 MYR 14.82

$5.23 MYR 22.05

-32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 MYR 29.99

$14.77 MYR 62.3

-51.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.75

$2.91 MYR 12.25

-12.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.79

$1.46 MYR 6.18

-21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.3 MYR 13.91

$2.59 MYR 10.92

27.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 MYR 8.5

$2.11 MYR 8.88

-4.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.18

$1.18 MYR 4.98

24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.45

$1.21 MYR 5.1

46.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.7

$0.91 MYR 3.82

21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.98

$0.45 MYR 1.91

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MYR 17.04

$4.2 MYR 17.73

-3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 MYR 79

$14.1 MYR 59.5

32.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 MYR 7.77

$2.71 MYR 11.44

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MYR 6.78

$3.47 MYR 14.65

-53.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 MYR 6.27

$0.49 MYR 2.05

204.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.22 MYR 170

$17.98 MYR 75.8

123.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 8.09

$0.72 MYR 3.04

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 MYR 1.82

$0.5 MYR 2.1

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MYR 24.43

$7 MYR 29.53

-17.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.93

$0.46 MYR 1.96

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

$29.6K MYR 124.7K

$33.6K MYR 141.7K

-11.97%

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

$27.7K MYR 116.9K

$27.1K MYR 114.3K

2.29%

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

$51.2 MYR 216

$39.21 MYR 165

30.50%

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

$8.97 MYR 37.84

$10.33 MYR 43.55

-13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.43 MYR 141

$31.17 MYR 131

7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.94 MYR 185

$32.59 MYR 137

34.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.98 MYR 12.57

$5.59 MYR 23.59

-46.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MYR 19.33

$5.01 MYR 21.15

-8.58%

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

$129 MYR 544

$241 MYR 1,014

-46.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,457 MYR 18.8K

$6,174 MYR 26K

-27.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 255

$55.3 MYR 233

9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.48 MYR 94.8

$28.42 MYR 120

-20.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 MYR 300

$61.2 MYR 258

16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94 MYR 396

$53.6 MYR 226

75.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,598

$388 MYR 1,637

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 709

$230 MYR 968

-26.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,735

$640 MYR 2,700

1.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MYR 1,544

$522 MYR 2,201

-29.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 MYR 5,754

$2,431 MYR 10.3K

-43.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,804

$1,481 MYR 6,247

-23.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MYR 2,325

$1,101 MYR 4,643

-49.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.16

-8.65%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: October 27, 2025

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2025

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