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: $899 in Labuan versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,375 in Labuan versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,850 in Labuan versus $1,870 in Penang.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 MYR 22.01

$3.08 MYR 12.57

75.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.31 MYR 95.2

$21.63 MYR 88.3

7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 MYR 26.98

$4.15 MYR 16.95

59.28%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$2.97 MYR 12.12

23.91%

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

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.74 MYR 3.02

39.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.33 MYR 1.37

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.34

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MYR 20.17

$4.45 MYR 18.19

11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.15

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-39.32%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.70

$2.12 MYR 8.67

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 MYR 61.2

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-16.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.27

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-37.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 12.10

$2.91 MYR 11.88

1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.90

$1.45 MYR 5.92

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.68

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-31.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.13 MYR 4.62

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.20 MYR 4.91

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.10

$0.89 MYR 3.62

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$0.48 MYR 1.96

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$4.19 MYR 17.12

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 MYR 80.5

$19.28 MYR 78.7

2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.65 MYR 10.84

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$3.40 MYR 13.88

-14.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.45 MYR 1.83

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.45

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$0.74 MYR 3.04

58.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.51 MYR 2.06

101.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 MYR 24.58

$6.90 MYR 28.19

-12.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.50 MYR 2.03

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

$35.5K MYR 144.9K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

4.12%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

13.36%

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

$44.40 MYR 181

$39.05 MYR 159

13.70%

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

$9.04 MYR 36.92

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 MYR 119

$31.51 MYR 129

-7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 150

$32.40 MYR 132

13.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.97

$5.53 MYR 22.59

6.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 20.31

$4.81 MYR 19.62

3.33%

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

$187 MYR 764

$240 MYR 978

-21.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 28.5K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

12.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 244

$55.3 MYR 226

8.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$29.23 MYR 119

-8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 MYR 293

$61.1 MYR 249

17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$52.7 MYR 215

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,573

$382 MYR 1,558

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$225 MYR 920

20.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,672

$636 MYR 2,596

2.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,959

$522 MYR 2,131

-8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,233 MYR 9,117

$2,203 MYR 8,997

1.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,011 MYR 4,128

$1,160 MYR 4,735

-12.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 MYR 1,480

$942 MYR 3,846

-61.52%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Labuan and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 160% 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 $252 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, salaries run 160% 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: $385 in Labuan versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $187 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.

At $867 in Penang versus $899 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 4% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.