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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $753 per month in Malacca vs $869 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Malacca vs $1,385 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,562 per month in Malacca vs $1,901 in Penang, rent included.

Malacca is about 13% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malacca and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 44% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$3.04 MYR 12.34

18.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.57 MYR 75.3

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-13.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.62

$4.33 MYR 17.57

6.00%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.72

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-1.70%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.68 MYR 2.78

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.36 MYR 1.48

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MYR 8.66

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-51.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.67

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-30.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 6.01

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-39.41%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.35

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 MYR 62.3

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-11.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 MYR 20.23

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-4.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 MYR 46.57

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-23.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.16

$2.87 MYR 11.66

30.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.98

$1.47 MYR 5.96

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.74

$2.57 MYR 10.43

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$1.18 MYR 4.79

29.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.16 MYR 4.71

49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MYR 5.17

$0.95 MYR 3.87

34.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.49 MYR 1.97

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.82

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 MYR 57.2

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-28.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MYR 8.08

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.85

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-14.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.45 MYR 1.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.02

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-31.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$0.69 MYR 2.80

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.01

$0.54 MYR 2.21

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 23.84

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-18.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.47 MYR 1.89

4.26%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

8.96%

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

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

40.03%

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

$44.85 MYR 182

$38.60 MYR 157

16.19%

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

$9.25 MYR 37.53

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.20 MYR 122

$31.44 MYR 127

-3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.76 MYR 68.0

$33.04 MYR 134

-49.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 MYR 47.48

$5.42 MYR 21.97

116.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.86

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-0.20%

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

$188 MYR 762

$238 MYR 963

-20.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

10.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MYR 266

$54.6 MYR 221

19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 MYR 77.6

$28.39 MYR 115

-32.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 291

$60.5 MYR 245

18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 MYR 163

$53.5 MYR 217

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,355

$387 MYR 1,569

-13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 768

$230 MYR 933

-17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MYR 2,862

$640 MYR 2,597

10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MYR 1,139

$525 MYR 2,131

-46.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 MYR 7,932

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-13.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 4,017

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-16.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 MYR 3,788

$951 MYR 3,858

-1.80%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Malacca versus $387 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 $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $287 – 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: $753 in Malacca, $869 in Penang – roughly 15% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,129 per month in Malacca and $1,304 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 $22.00 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 $753 in Malacca and $869 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 $753 in Malacca and $869 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 $753 in Malacca to $869 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.