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: $931 in Lumut, Perak versus $843 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,365 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,888 in Penang.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 10% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.71

$2.99 MYR 12.15

21.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.98 MYR 48.70

$20.88 MYR 84.9

-42.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.58

$4.22 MYR 17.14

14.22%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.29

$2.82 MYR 11.47

-1.42%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$0.74 MYR 3.01

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.34 MYR 1.37

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.02

$4.32 MYR 17.55

-14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 MYR 24.34

$4.50 MYR 18.30

33.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 MYR 8.20

$1.80 MYR 7.30

12.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.03 MYR 4.19

2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.98 MYR 8.04

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.14

$2.15 MYR 8.74

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 59.6

$17.23 MYR 70.0

-14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$5.19 MYR 21.10

-9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 MYR 39.68

$15.00 MYR 61.0

-34.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.11

$2.87 MYR 11.67

3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.33

$1.46 MYR 5.95

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.58

$2.69 MYR 10.95

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$2.12 MYR 8.62

-28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.02

$1.13 MYR 4.61

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.48

$1.21 MYR 4.90

11.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.96 MYR 3.91

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$0.45 MYR 1.83

48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 17.14

$4.31 MYR 17.52

-2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.4

$19.46 MYR 79.1

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.63

$2.72 MYR 11.05

23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$3.43 MYR 13.94

23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.45 MYR 1.83

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 48.79

$17.56 MYR 71.4

-31.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$0.73 MYR 2.98

64.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.50 MYR 2.04

130.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.64

$6.93 MYR 28.17

-30.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.49 MYR 2.00

2.04%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.7K

$33.0K MYR 134.1K

23.51%

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

$32.0K MYR 129.9K

$28.0K MYR 113.7K

14.25%

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

$65.6 MYR 267

$38.47 MYR 156

70.42%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.73

$10.26 MYR 41.71

12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 MYR 105

$31.49 MYR 128

-17.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 MYR 148

$33.02 MYR 134

10.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.12

$5.54 MYR 22.51

7.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.48

$4.84 MYR 19.66

4.13%

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

$267 MYR 1,087

$239 MYR 973

11.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,247 MYR 37.6K

$6,099 MYR 24.8K

51.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 252

$55.4 MYR 225

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 MYR 153

$29.14 MYR 118

29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 347

$61.5 MYR 250

38.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 MYR 329

$53.1 MYR 216

52.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,546

$390 MYR 1,584

-2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,092

$222 MYR 901

21.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,572

$654 MYR 2,660

-3.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,921

$526 MYR 2,137

-10.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,797 MYR 7,304

$2,238 MYR 9,097

-19.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 MYR 3,706

$1,178 MYR 4,787

-22.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,555

$938 MYR 3,811

-59.21%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Lumut, Perak and $390 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 145% 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 $268 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 10% 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 145% 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: $380 in Lumut, Perak versus $390 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 $931 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $843 in Penang – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $843 in Penang versus $931 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 $843 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 10% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.