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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $849 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,356 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,863 in Penang.

Monthly costs are close between Kota Kinabalu and Penang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 36% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.41

$3.14 MYR 12.85

12.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.8

$21.56 MYR 88.2

-14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$4.18 MYR 17.10

10.53%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 11.04

$2.95 MYR 12.05

-8.47%

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

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.69 MYR 2.81

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.34 MYR 1.37

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$4.38 MYR 17.91

-45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.42

$4.54 MYR 18.59

-22.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.00 MYR 4.07

21.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.96 MYR 8.00

-10.71%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.03 MYR 8.30

36.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.05 MYR 107

$17.29 MYR 70.7

50.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$5.23 MYR 21.41

-30.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 MYR 28.87

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-52.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.29

$2.79 MYR 11.40

-9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.46 MYR 5.99

-20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MYR 13.07

$2.61 MYR 10.69

22.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.10

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.18 MYR 4.81

27.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.16 MYR 4.74

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$0.91 MYR 3.72

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.45 MYR 1.85

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.07

$4.30 MYR 17.58

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 MYR 64.0

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$2.70 MYR 11.03

-28.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$3.41 MYR 13.94

-52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 MYR 6.36

$0.46 MYR 1.87

239.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.74 MYR 167

$17.34 MYR 70.9

134.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$0.68 MYR 2.80

173.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-11.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 23.61

$6.89 MYR 28.19

-16.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

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

$29.4K MYR 120.0K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

-11.03%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

-0.16%

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

$52.5 MYR 215

$38.52 MYR 158

36.19%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.00

$10.16 MYR 41.54

-8.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 MYR 135

$31.68 MYR 130

4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 MYR 179

$32.43 MYR 133

35.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$5.57 MYR 22.80

-46.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MYR 18.63

$4.89 MYR 20.01

-6.75%

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

$128 MYR 525

$238 MYR 973

-46.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,486 MYR 18.3K

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

-28.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 243

$54.3 MYR 222

9.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 MYR 94.6

$29.23 MYR 120

-20.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 290

$61.8 MYR 253

14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MYR 384

$52.6 MYR 215

78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,546

$380 MYR 1,553

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 687

$222 MYR 910

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,658

$641 MYR 2,620

1.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,483

$516 MYR 2,111

-29.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,334

$2,245 MYR 9,183

-20.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MYR 4,440

$1,168 MYR 4,779

-7.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 MYR 2,432

$921 MYR 3,765

-35.42%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Kota Kinabalu and $380 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 55% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $285 per month, with Kota Kinabalu cheaper across the board.

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

Kota Kinabalu vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Penang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Kota Kinabalu versus $380 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $128 in Kota Kinabalu versus $238 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota Kinabalu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kota Kinabalu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $848 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kota Kinabalu and Penang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Kota Kinabalu wins on affordability, Penang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.