Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Penang versus $802 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Penang versus $1,238 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,901 in Penang versus $1,674 in Bintulu.

Living in Penang is roughly 8% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 35% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.83 MYR 15.52

-20.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$17.48 MYR 70.9

23.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$5.73 MYR 23.24

-24.43%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.78 MYR 11.27

5.76%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.67 MYR 2.71

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$2.79 MYR 11.33

57.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$4.84 MYR 19.65

-7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.72 MYR 6.97

5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.32 MYR 5.35

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.31 MYR 5.30

54.96%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.18 MYR 8.84

-2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$16.62 MYR 67.4

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$3.52 MYR 14.26

48.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$5.80 MYR 23.52

160.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$1.63 MYR 6.60

76.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$0.92 MYR 3.74

59.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$1.63 MYR 6.60

57.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.07 MYR 4.32

97.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$0.53 MYR 2.13

122.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.15 MYR 4.65

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.67 MYR 2.73

41.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.43 MYR 1.73

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$3.90 MYR 15.83

11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$19.51 MYR 79.1

0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.81 MYR 11.40

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$1.86 MYR 7.53

82.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$1.20 MYR 4.86

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$15.64 MYR 63.4

11.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$0.91 MYR 3.69

-24.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.88 MYR 3.55

-38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$2.33 MYR 9.43

209.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.51 MYR 2.05

-7.84%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$42.4K MYR 171.9K

-22.34%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$38.0K MYR 154.1K

-28.25%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$59.1 MYR 240

-34.70%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$8.97 MYR 36.37

12.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$29.31 MYR 119

7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$66.4 MYR 269

-50.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.88 MYR 23.83

-7.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.14 MYR 16.79

18.60%

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

$238 MYR 963

$121 MYR 491

96.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$7,172 MYR 29.1K

-13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$62.3 MYR 253

-12.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$34.27 MYR 139

-17.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$75.5 MYR 306

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$87.8 MYR 356

-39.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$212 MYR 859

82.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$151 MYR 611

52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$461 MYR 1,870

38.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$318 MYR 1,291

65.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,756 MYR 7,122

28.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$1,159 MYR 4,701

2.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$611 MYR 2,478

55.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.5

-7.56%

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

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Penang and $212 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $17.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $223 per month, with Bintulu 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

Penang vs Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Penang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Penang pays 56% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Penang versus $212 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Penang versus $802 in Bintulu – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 11% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Penang and Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.