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: $935 in Lumut, Perak versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,895 in Penang.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$3.10 MYR 12.24

13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 MYR 47.02

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.91

$4.12 MYR 16.27

16.26%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-3.82%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.34

$0.70 MYR 2.75

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 MYR 14.49

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-14.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 22.88

$4.43 MYR 17.51

30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 7.81

$1.89 MYR 7.48

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.13

$1.03 MYR 4.05

1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.59

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-16.08%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.54

$2.04 MYR 8.07

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 MYR 56.7

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-17.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 17.99

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 MYR 38.44

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-35.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$2.88 MYR 11.38

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.51 MYR 5.96

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$2.63 MYR 10.38

3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.18 MYR 4.64

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.17 MYR 4.63

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$0.91 MYR 3.59

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$0.48 MYR 1.91

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.52

$4.29 MYR 16.94

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 MYR 73.9

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.71

$2.74 MYR 10.82

17.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 MYR 17.45

$3.39 MYR 13.39

30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$0.46 MYR 1.80

60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-31.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$0.74 MYR 2.94

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$0.53 MYR 2.10

115.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 18.86

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.82

10.87%

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

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

18.03%

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

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

14.81%

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

$63.3 MYR 250

$39.31 MYR 155

60.90%

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

$11.35 MYR 44.82

$10.23 MYR 40.40

10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.66 MYR 101

$31.17 MYR 123

-17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 MYR 144

$33.28 MYR 131

9.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 23.57

$5.39 MYR 21.30

10.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MYR 20.71

$4.81 MYR 19.01

8.94%

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

$269 MYR 1,061

$240 MYR 947

12.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

55.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 243

$54.4 MYR 215

13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 MYR 147

$29.08 MYR 115

28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MYR 340

$60.4 MYR 239

42.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 321

$52.6 MYR 208

54.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,556

$381 MYR 1,503

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,060

$227 MYR 895

18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,510

$639 MYR 2,524

-0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,827

$526 MYR 2,077

-12.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,902 MYR 7,515

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-17.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 MYR 3,679

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-22.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$394 MYR 1,556

$968 MYR 3,824

-59.31%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Lumut, Perak and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 146% 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 $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 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, Penang earns 146% 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: $394 in Lumut, Perak versus $381 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 $21.00 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 $935 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $862 in Penang – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $862 in Penang versus $935 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $862 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.