Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Lumut, Perak versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,864 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,870 in Penang.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 8% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.79

$3.08 MYR 12.56

17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.83 MYR 48.30

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-45.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 MYR 19.03

$4.15 MYR 16.95

12.29%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.63

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-4.04%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.74 MYR 3.02

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.33 MYR 1.37

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 MYR 23.47

$4.45 MYR 18.18

29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 MYR 8.53

$1.88 MYR 7.69

11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$1.03 MYR 4.22

0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.80

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-18.93%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.26

$2.12 MYR 8.66

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.55 MYR 59.4

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MYR 19.35

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-8.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.61

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-33.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$2.91 MYR 11.88

0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MYR 6.46

$1.45 MYR 5.92

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.16

$2.66 MYR 10.88

2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-29.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.13 MYR 4.62

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.20 MYR 4.91

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$0.89 MYR 3.62

30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$0.48 MYR 1.96

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.99

$4.19 MYR 17.11

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 MYR 75.5

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-4.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$2.65 MYR 10.83

22.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.48

$3.40 MYR 13.88

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.45 MYR 1.83

62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.44

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$0.74 MYR 3.03

55.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.51 MYR 2.06

113.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 MYR 19.48

$6.90 MYR 28.18

-30.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.50 MYR 2.03

2.00%

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

$40.4K MYR 165.1K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

18.70%

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

$32.3K MYR 131.9K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

18.15%

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

$63.5 MYR 259

$39.05 MYR 159

62.69%

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

$11.62 MYR 47.43

$10.17 MYR 41.54

14.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 MYR 107

$31.51 MYR 129

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.53 MYR 153

$32.40 MYR 132

15.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 24.01

$5.53 MYR 22.59

6.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 MYR 21.27

$4.81 MYR 19.62

8.32%

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

$270 MYR 1,103

$240 MYR 978

12.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,393 MYR 38.4K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

51.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 248

$55.3 MYR 226

9.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 MYR 154

$29.23 MYR 119

29.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 354

$61.1 MYR 249

42.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$52.7 MYR 215

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,555

$382 MYR 1,558

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,109

$225 MYR 920

20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,584

$636 MYR 2,596

-0.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,947

$522 MYR 2,131

-8.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 MYR 8,439

$2,203 MYR 8,996

-6.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,245 MYR 5,083

$1,160 MYR 4,735

7.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 MYR 1,530

$942 MYR 3,845

-60.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.16

7.45%

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

Last update for Lumut, Perak: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Lumut, Perak and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 151% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $286 per month, with Lumut, Perak 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

Lumut, Perak vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Lumut, Perak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 151% 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: $381 in Lumut, Perak versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $867 in Penang – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $867 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lumut, Perak 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 8% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.