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: $893 in Labuan versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Labuan versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Labuan versus $1,895 in Penang.

Living in Labuan is roughly 4% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 33% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 MYR 20.48

$3.10 MYR 12.24

67.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 MYR 92.9

$21.13 MYR 83.5

11.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 MYR 25.08

$4.12 MYR 16.27

54.13%

Cappuccino

$3.65 MYR 14.42

$2.88 MYR 11.36

26.74%

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

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$0.70 MYR 2.75

48.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.33 MYR 1.32

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.43 MYR 17.51

10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.78

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-37.19%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.03

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-13.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 16.99

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.28 MYR 36.67

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-38.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.27

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-1.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.51 MYR 5.96

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.03

$2.63 MYR 10.38

-3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.61

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-32.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.18 MYR 4.64

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.18

$1.17 MYR 4.63

11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.91 MYR 3.59

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.48 MYR 1.91

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.05

$4.29 MYR 16.94

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.35

$2.74 MYR 10.82

4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-15.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.46 MYR 1.80

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.29

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-31.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$0.74 MYR 2.94

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$0.53 MYR 2.10

94.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 22.80

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-16.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.46 MYR 1.82

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

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

7.08%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.2K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

13.47%

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

$43.85 MYR 173

$39.31 MYR 155

11.55%

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

$8.89 MYR 35.12

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 MYR 115

$31.17 MYR 123

-6.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 145

$33.28 MYR 131

10.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.90

$5.39 MYR 21.30

7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.50

$4.81 MYR 19.01

2.70%

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

$188 MYR 743

$240 MYR 947

-21.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,026 MYR 27.8K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

14.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 237

$54.4 MYR 215

10.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.76 MYR 110

$29.08 MYR 115

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 289

$60.4 MYR 239

21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 MYR 203

$52.6 MYR 208

-2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,522

$381 MYR 1,503

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,051

$227 MYR 895

17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,871

$526 MYR 2,077

-9.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 MYR 6,126

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-33.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 MYR 3,065

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-35.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 MYR 1,484

$968 MYR 3,824

-61.18%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Labuan and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 158% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Labuan vs $21.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $286, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 158% 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: $385 in Labuan versus $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $188 in Labuan versus $240 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Labuan pay roughly 14% 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 4% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.