Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Malacca vs $862 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,165 per month in Malacca vs $1,379 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Malacca vs $1,895 in Penang, rent included.

Malacca is about 12% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malacca and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 43% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.11

$3.10 MYR 12.24

15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 MYR 74.8

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-10.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.69

$4.12 MYR 16.27

14.81%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-0.69%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.15

$0.70 MYR 2.75

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.33 MYR 1.32

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MYR 8.58

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.72

$4.43 MYR 17.51

-27.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.70

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-35.18%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.10

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 MYR 61.5

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 MYR 19.85

$4.95 MYR 19.54

1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 MYR 45.04

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$2.88 MYR 11.38

24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.49

$2.63 MYR 10.38

1.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 7.98

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.18 MYR 4.64

23.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.17 MYR 4.63

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$0.91 MYR 3.59

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.48 MYR 1.91

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.07

$4.29 MYR 16.94

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 MYR 56.7

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 7.90

$2.74 MYR 10.82

-27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 11.78

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-12.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.46 MYR 1.80

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-32.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 MYR 5.62

$0.74 MYR 2.94

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$0.53 MYR 2.10

86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.36

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.46 MYR 1.82

2.17%

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

$34.7K MYR 137.0K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

3.53%

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

$39.0K MYR 154.2K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

39.79%

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

$44.96 MYR 178

$39.31 MYR 155

14.37%

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

$8.97 MYR 35.45

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.14 MYR 123

$31.17 MYR 123

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.33 MYR 64.5

$33.28 MYR 131

-50.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.70 MYR 46.20

$5.39 MYR 21.30

117.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.67

$4.81 MYR 19.01

3.53%

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

$190 MYR 749

$240 MYR 947

-20.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,904 MYR 27.3K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

12.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 257

$54.4 MYR 215

19.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.55 MYR 73.3

$29.08 MYR 115

-36.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 MYR 286

$60.4 MYR 239

19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 161

$52.6 MYR 208

-22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 MYR 1,306

$381 MYR 1,503

-13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 MYR 733

$227 MYR 895

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 MYR 2,786

$639 MYR 2,524

10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,124

$526 MYR 2,077

-45.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,216 MYR 4,803

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-47.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 MYR 3,202

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 MYR 3,766

$968 MYR 3,824

-1.51%

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 Malacca: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Malacca versus $381 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Penang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca versus $21.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $286 – making Malacca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Malacca vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $762 in Malacca, $862 in Penang – roughly 13% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,143 per month in Malacca and $1,294 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca and $21.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $762 in Malacca and $862 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $762 in Malacca and $862 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $762 in Malacca to $862 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.