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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Malacca vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,161 per month in Malacca vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Malacca vs $1,870 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$3.08 MYR 12.58

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$21.63 MYR 88.4

-13.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$4.15 MYR 16.96

10.36%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$2.97 MYR 12.13

1.01%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.41

$0.74 MYR 3.02

12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.33 MYR 1.37

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 MYR 8.56

$4.29 MYR 17.52

-51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 13.17

$4.45 MYR 18.20

-27.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.89

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-7.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.29

$2.06 MYR 8.41

-37.38%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-13.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 MYR 63.0

$17.00 MYR 69.5

-9.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.24

$5.19 MYR 21.20

-4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 MYR 47.18

$14.91 MYR 61.0

-22.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 MYR 15.01

$2.91 MYR 11.89

26.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.45 MYR 5.92

2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.44

$2.66 MYR 10.89

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$2.10 MYR 8.60

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.27

$1.13 MYR 4.62

35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.20 MYR 4.91

45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MYR 5.20

$0.89 MYR 3.62

42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.48 MYR 1.96

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.52

$4.19 MYR 17.13

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.86 MYR 56.6

$19.28 MYR 78.8

-28.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MYR 8.23

$2.65 MYR 10.84

-24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.86

$3.40 MYR 13.89

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.86

$0.45 MYR 1.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.47

$17.76 MYR 72.6

-34.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$0.74 MYR 3.04

95.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.51 MYR 2.07

96.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 MYR 23.88

$6.90 MYR 28.21

-15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

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

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

4.63%

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

$39.0K MYR 159.5K

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

42.75%

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

$46.10 MYR 188

$39.05 MYR 160

18.05%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.99

$10.17 MYR 41.58

-8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$31.51 MYR 129

-2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.75 MYR 68.5

$32.40 MYR 132

-48.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.61 MYR 47.44

$5.53 MYR 22.61

109.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.82

$4.81 MYR 19.64

0.83%

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

$189 MYR 771

$240 MYR 979

-21.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,912 MYR 28.2K

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

11.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 MYR 263

$55.3 MYR 226

16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 MYR 77.5

$29.23 MYR 119

-35.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 MYR 304

$61.1 MYR 250

21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.62 MYR 166

$52.7 MYR 215

-22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MYR 1,350

$382 MYR 1,559

-13.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 773

$225 MYR 921

-16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 MYR 2,878

$636 MYR 2,598

10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 MYR 1,144

$522 MYR 2,133

-46.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 MYR 8,376

$2,203 MYR 9,004

-6.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 MYR 4,704

$1,160 MYR 4,740

-0.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$893 MYR 3,650

$942 MYR 3,849

-5.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Malacca versus $382 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 5% 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: $253 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: $764 in Malacca, $867 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 $1,146 per month in Malacca and $1,300 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 $764 in Malacca and $867 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 $764 in Malacca and $867 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 $764 in Malacca to $867 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.