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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $595 per month in Malacca vs $837 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $952 per month in Malacca vs $1,307 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,308 per month in Malacca vs $1,776 in Penang, rent included.

Malacca is about 29% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malacca and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 57% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$3.72 MYR 15.24

-12.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.58 MYR 88.3

$19.77 MYR 80.9

9.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 MYR 20.45

$4.57 MYR 18.72

9.41%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$2.98 MYR 12.18

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

$0.79 MYR 3.24

$0.74 MYR 3.01

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.37 MYR 1.50

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 MYR 7.91

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-55.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.39

$4.53 MYR 18.53

-33.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MYR 6.96

$1.80 MYR 7.37

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.06 MYR 4.32

0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.94

$1.72 MYR 7.05

-15.70%

Eggs

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$2.14 MYR 8.76

-22.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.34 MYR 75.1

$13.06 MYR 53.5

40.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MYR 18.38

$4.32 MYR 17.68

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 MYR 44.56

$8.52 MYR 34.87

27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.93

$2.93 MYR 11.99

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.66 MYR 6.78

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 10.19

$2.57 MYR 10.51

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.68

$1.46 MYR 5.99

11.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.79

$1.11 MYR 4.55

27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.16 MYR 4.76

48.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.14 MYR 4.67

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.54 MYR 2.21

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.81

$4.74 MYR 19.38

-8.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 MYR 57.5

$18.98 MYR 77.7

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 MYR 8.96

$3.01 MYR 12.34

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 MYR 12.65

$3.98 MYR 16.29

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.50 MYR 2.05

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.41 MYR 50.8

$12.18 MYR 49.85

1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 MYR 6.08

$1.73 MYR 7.09

-13.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.92

$0.38 MYR 1.56

86.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.24 MYR 50.1

$7.46 MYR 30.55

64.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.87 MYR 3.57

-44.83%

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

$41.2K MYR 168.8K

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

-1.68%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.1K

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

3.78%

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

$53.5 MYR 219

$36.65 MYR 150

45.98%

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

$11.00 MYR 45.03

$9.91 MYR 40.57

11.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.25 MYR 120

$29.71 MYR 122

-1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.55 MYR 92.3

$39.12 MYR 160

-42.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 MYR 47.49

$4.82 MYR 19.71

140.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 20.53

$5.22 MYR 21.37

-3.83%

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

$166 MYR 679

$432 MYR 1,768

-61.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,526 MYR 18.5K

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

-57.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 270

$59.3 MYR 243

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.61 MYR 68.0

$35.89 MYR 147

-53.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 MYR 330

$83.0 MYR 340

-2.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.95 MYR 168

$71.4 MYR 292

-42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 MYR 802

$409 MYR 1,675

-52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 MYR 4,862

$2,244 MYR 9,187

-47.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 MYR 3,257

$1,058 MYR 4,331

-24.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 MYR 1,728

$914 MYR 3,740

-53.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.24

-4.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Malacca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $196 in Malacca versus $409 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 116% 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 $22.00 in Malacca versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $250 – making Penang 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: $595 in Malacca, $837 in Penang – roughly 41% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $892 per month in Malacca and $1,256 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 $22.00 in Malacca and $20.00 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 $595 in Malacca and $837 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 $595 in Malacca and $837 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 $595 in Malacca to $837 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.