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: $867 in Penang versus $796 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Penang versus $1,228 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Penang versus $1,661 in Bintulu.

Living in Penang is roughly 9% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.56

$3.83 MYR 15.63

-19.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$17.41 MYR 71.1

24.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$5.52 MYR 22.53

-24.82%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.79 MYR 11.38

6.45%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.66 MYR 2.71

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$2.84 MYR 11.61

51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$5.03 MYR 20.53

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.72 MYR 7.03

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.37 MYR 5.58

-24.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.27 MYR 5.18

62.20%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.10 MYR 8.58

0.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$16.76 MYR 68.4

1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$3.47 MYR 14.18

49.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$5.63 MYR 22.97

164.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$1.62 MYR 6.62

79.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$0.92 MYR 3.74

57.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$1.60 MYR 6.54

66.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$1.07 MYR 4.35

96.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$0.53 MYR 2.16

113.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.19 MYR 4.87

0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$0.68 MYR 2.79

30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.43 MYR 1.76

11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.03 MYR 16.46

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$19.73 MYR 80.6

-2.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.87 MYR 11.72

-7.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$1.93 MYR 7.87

76.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$15.40 MYR 62.9

15.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.98 MYR 4.00

-24.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.93 MYR 3.80

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.18

$2.32 MYR 9.46

197.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-9.09%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

-20.49%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

-26.14%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$57.3 MYR 234

-31.86%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$9.36 MYR 38.21

8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$29.91 MYR 122

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$65.2 MYR 266

-50.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$5.96 MYR 24.33

-7.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$4.19 MYR 17.10

14.80%

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

$240 MYR 978

$121 MYR 493

98.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

-11.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$61.6 MYR 251

-10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$33.91 MYR 138

-13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$76.4 MYR 312

-20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$88.7 MYR 362

-40.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$214 MYR 875

78.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$152 MYR 622

47.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$461 MYR 1,881

37.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$315 MYR 1,287

65.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,996

$1,704 MYR 6,956

29.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,154 MYR 4,711

0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,845

$601 MYR 2,455

56.63%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Penang and $214 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 57% 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 $286 vs $224 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 9% 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.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Penang, 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: $382 in Penang versus $214 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Penang versus $796 in Bintulu – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 15% 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 $796 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 9% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.