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: $1,023 in Lumut, Perak versus $837 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,307 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,776 in Penang.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 22% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 25% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.26

$3.72 MYR 15.24

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.38 MYR 50.7

$19.77 MYR 80.9

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.64

$4.57 MYR 18.72

10.28%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.98 MYR 12.18

-1.01%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.53

$0.74 MYR 3.01

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 MYR 15.44

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 MYR 25.73

$4.53 MYR 18.53

38.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 MYR 8.70

$1.80 MYR 7.37

18.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$1.06 MYR 4.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.32

$1.72 MYR 7.05

18.02%

Eggs

$2.46 MYR 10.09

$2.14 MYR 8.76

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.39 MYR 63.0

$13.06 MYR 53.5

17.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 MYR 20.09

$4.32 MYR 17.68

13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 40.22

$8.52 MYR 34.87

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.33

$2.93 MYR 11.99

19.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.66 MYR 6.78

14.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 MYR 9.69

$2.57 MYR 10.51

-7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.51

$1.46 MYR 5.99

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.42

$1.11 MYR 4.55

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.83

$1.16 MYR 4.76

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.14 MYR 4.67

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.54 MYR 2.21

29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.61

$4.74 MYR 19.38

-9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 MYR 77.5

$18.98 MYR 77.7

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.47

$3.01 MYR 12.34

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.16

$3.98 MYR 16.29

23.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.92

$0.50 MYR 2.05

42.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.94 MYR 53.0

$12.18 MYR 49.85

6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$1.73 MYR 7.09

-30.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.38 MYR 1.56

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 MYR 20.41

$7.46 MYR 30.55

-33.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$0.87 MYR 3.57

-13.79%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.4K

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

-0.18%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

0.91%

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

$65.0 MYR 266

$36.65 MYR 150

77.44%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.02

$9.91 MYR 40.57

-8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.38 MYR 108

$29.71 MYR 122

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MYR 155

$39.12 MYR 160

-3.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.22

$4.82 MYR 19.71

37.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 MYR 22.35

$5.22 MYR 21.37

4.60%

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

$298 MYR 1,221

$432 MYR 1,768

-30.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,907 MYR 20.1K

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

-53.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 MYR 294

$59.3 MYR 243

21.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 MYR 175

$35.89 MYR 147

19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 MYR 363

$83.0 MYR 340

6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 MYR 406

$71.4 MYR 292

38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,732

$409 MYR 1,675

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,289

$228 MYR 934

38.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 MYR 2,818

$583 MYR 2,387

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$414 MYR 1,694

19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,666

$2,244 MYR 9,187

-5.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 MYR 3,922

$1,058 MYR 4,331

-9.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 MYR 1,554

$914 MYR 3,740

-58.46%

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 Lumut, Perak: September 13, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Lumut, Perak and $409 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 141% 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 $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $250, with Penang 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

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

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 22% 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 141% 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: $423 in Lumut, Perak versus $409 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 $20.00 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 $1,023 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $837 in Penang – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $837 in Penang versus $1,023 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 $837 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 22% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.