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: $976 in Labuan versus $837 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,496 in Labuan versus $1,307 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,016 in Labuan versus $1,776 in Penang.

Living in Labuan is roughly 17% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 29% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MYR 22.41

$3.72 MYR 15.19

47.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 MYR 102

$19.77 MYR 80.7

26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 MYR 27.92

$4.57 MYR 18.66

49.67%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MYR 16.28

$2.98 MYR 12.14

33.89%

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

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$0.74 MYR 3.00

44.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.69

$0.37 MYR 1.49

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 MYR 16.77

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.37

$4.53 MYR 18.47

-16.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.80 MYR 7.35

-1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.06 MYR 4.31

2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.72 MYR 7.02

-16.86%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.78

$2.14 MYR 8.73

-10.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.99 MYR 69.3

$13.06 MYR 53.3

30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 MYR 18.50

$4.32 MYR 17.62

5.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 40.43

$8.52 MYR 34.76

16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.71

$2.93 MYR 11.95

6.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.49

$1.66 MYR 6.76

10.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.71

$2.57 MYR 10.48

-7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.66

$1.46 MYR 5.97

-4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$1.11 MYR 4.54

20.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.16 MYR 4.74

5.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.15

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.98

$4.74 MYR 19.32

-1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.54 MYR 87.9

$18.98 MYR 77.5

13.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$3.01 MYR 12.30

-15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.81

$3.98 MYR 16.23

-14.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$0.50 MYR 2.04

68.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.20 MYR 53.9

$12.18 MYR 49.69

8.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 MYR 5.77

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-18.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.38 MYR 1.55

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 MYR 31.96

$7.46 MYR 30.45

4.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$0.87 MYR 3.56

-10.34%

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

$43.6K MYR 178.0K

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

4.00%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.5K

$34.9K MYR 142.2K

-10.34%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$36.65 MYR 150

36.75%

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

$9.61 MYR 39.18

$9.91 MYR 40.44

-3.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 MYR 115

$29.71 MYR 121

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.96 MYR 179

$39.12 MYR 160

12.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 MYR 27.58

$4.82 MYR 19.65

40.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 MYR 18.21

$5.22 MYR 21.29

-14.56%

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

$194 MYR 790

$432 MYR 1,762

-55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,758 MYR 19.4K

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

-55.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 247

$59.3 MYR 242

2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 MYR 141

$35.89 MYR 146

-3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MYR 328

$83.0 MYR 339

-3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 294

$71.4 MYR 291

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 MYR 1,845

$409 MYR 1,669

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MYR 1,270

$228 MYR 931

36.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MYR 2,858

$583 MYR 2,379

20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 MYR 2,124

$414 MYR 1,689

25.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 MYR 7,751

$2,244 MYR 9,156

-15.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 MYR 4,255

$1,058 MYR 4,317

-1.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 MYR 1,531

$914 MYR 3,728

-58.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.24

-0.94%

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

Last update for Labuan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Labuan and $409 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Labuan vs $20.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $250 per month, with Penang 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

Labuan vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 143% 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: $452 in Labuan versus $409 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $194 in Labuan versus $432 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Labuan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $837 in Penang versus $976 in Labuan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Labuan. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 17% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.