Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $919 in Labuan versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Labuan versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,902 in Labuan versus $1,901 in Penang.

Living in Labuan is roughly 6% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 32% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 MYR 21.21

$3.04 MYR 12.34

72.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.49 MYR 95.3

$21.59 MYR 87.5

8.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 MYR 26.00

$4.33 MYR 17.57

48.04%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MYR 15.20

$2.94 MYR 11.90

27.55%

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

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.68 MYR 2.78

51.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.36 MYR 1.48

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 14.01

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 MYR 19.50

$4.46 MYR 18.10

7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MYR 6.56

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.78

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.05

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-38.42%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.33

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 MYR 61.5

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-12.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 MYR 17.87

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-15.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 38.75

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-36.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.71

$2.87 MYR 11.66

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.86

$1.47 MYR 5.96

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.49

$2.57 MYR 10.43

0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.60

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-34.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.97

$1.18 MYR 4.79

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.16 MYR 4.71

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$0.95 MYR 3.87

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.09

$0.49 MYR 1.97

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.28

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 MYR 76.2

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.62 MYR 10.61

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.03

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.45 MYR 1.82

62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.02

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-31.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.69 MYR 2.80

73.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.54 MYR 2.21

90.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.98

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.47 MYR 1.89

6.38%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.6K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

8.34%

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

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

15.10%

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

$43.07 MYR 175

$38.60 MYR 157

11.58%

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

$9.16 MYR 37.16

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 117

$31.44 MYR 127

-8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 152

$33.04 MYR 134

13.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.47

$5.42 MYR 21.97

6.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.20

$4.91 MYR 19.90

1.43%

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

$186 MYR 754

$238 MYR 963

-21.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,044 MYR 28.6K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

13.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 242

$54.6 MYR 221

9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.77 MYR 113

$28.39 MYR 115

-2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 300

$60.5 MYR 245

22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 MYR 206

$53.5 MYR 217

-4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,544

$387 MYR 1,569

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,074

$230 MYR 933

15.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,582

$640 MYR 2,597

-0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,949

$525 MYR 2,131

-8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 MYR 8,147

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-10.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 MYR 3,922

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-18.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 MYR 1,481

$951 MYR 3,858

-61.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Labuan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Labuan and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 161% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Labuan vs $22.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $287, with Labuan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Labuan vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 161% 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: $381 in Labuan versus $387 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $186 in Labuan versus $238 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Labuan pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Labuan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labuan 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.