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: $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 1% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 37% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$3.11 MYR 12.34

12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 MYR 75.6

$20.86 MYR 82.7

-8.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.53

$4.14 MYR 16.42

12.80%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.32

$2.83 MYR 11.22

-8.13%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.74 MYR 2.93

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.36 MYR 1.43

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MYR 9.45

$4.39 MYR 17.40

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$4.45 MYR 17.63

-21.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.90 MYR 7.53

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$0.99 MYR 3.92

25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.72

$1.96 MYR 7.78

-13.27%

Eggs

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$2.14 MYR 8.47

35.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.74 MYR 102

$17.10 MYR 67.8

50.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$5.07 MYR 20.11

-32.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MYR 29.45

$14.51 MYR 57.5

-48.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$2.77 MYR 11.00

-7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.52 MYR 6.01

-23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MYR 12.46

$2.60 MYR 10.30

20.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.58

$2.12 MYR 8.42

-9.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.13 MYR 4.47

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.79

$1.21 MYR 4.80

41.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.49

$0.95 MYR 3.78

18.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.88

$0.49 MYR 1.95

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$4.14 MYR 16.41

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 MYR 64.6

$19.79 MYR 78.5

-17.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 MYR 7.35

$2.60 MYR 10.31

-28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$3.51 MYR 13.94

-54.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 MYR 6.00

$0.46 MYR 1.81

228.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 MYR 163

$18.00 MYR 71.4

127.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.54

$0.68 MYR 2.69

179.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.54 MYR 2.16

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$6.98 MYR 27.68

-17.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-8.00%

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

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

-13.04%

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

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

0.66%

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

$51.6 MYR 205

$39.05 MYR 155

32.24%

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

$9.22 MYR 36.55

$10.11 MYR 40.09

-8.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 MYR 128

$30.91 MYR 123

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.54 MYR 173

$32.17 MYR 128

35.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 11.87

$5.41 MYR 21.44

-44.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.76

$4.92 MYR 19.49

-3.86%

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

$132 MYR 523

$240 MYR 950

-44.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

-26.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 240

$55.5 MYR 220

9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 MYR 91.2

$28.97 MYR 115

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 MYR 283

$60.7 MYR 241

17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 MYR 375

$52.0 MYR 206

81.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,473

$388 MYR 1,539

-4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 667

$229 MYR 909

-26.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,540

$638 MYR 2,530

0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,461

$513 MYR 2,034

-28.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 MYR 7,492

$2,318 MYR 9,190

-18.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 MYR 4,492

$1,180 MYR 4,678

-3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MYR 2,370

$949 MYR 3,762

-37.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Kota Kinabalu and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu vs $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Penang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Penang earns 59% less. 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: $372 in Kota Kinabalu versus $388 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 128% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $132 in Kota Kinabalu versus $240 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 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.

Expats usually find Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.