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: $837 in Penang versus $843 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $1,334 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Penang versus $1,824 in Bintulu.

Living in Penang costs roughly 1% less than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.19

$3.89 MYR 15.88

-4.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.7

$18.53 MYR 75.6

6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.66

$5.78 MYR 23.57

-20.93%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.14

$2.96 MYR 12.09

0.68%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.64 MYR 2.62

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.37 MYR 1.53

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$2.93 MYR 11.94

46.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.47

$5.13 MYR 20.93

-11.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.35

$2.16 MYR 8.80

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.37 MYR 5.61

-22.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.02

$1.32 MYR 5.39

30.30%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$2.18 MYR 8.90

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.3

$16.92 MYR 69.0

-22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.62

$3.46 MYR 14.12

24.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.76

$5.93 MYR 24.20

43.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.95

$1.67 MYR 6.82

75.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.76

$1.01 MYR 4.11

64.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.48

$1.67 MYR 6.82

53.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.16 MYR 4.75

25.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$0.52 MYR 2.10

113.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$0.76 MYR 3.09

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.44 MYR 1.81

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.32

$4.20 MYR 17.13

12.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$19.38 MYR 79.1

-2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$2.90 MYR 11.85

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.23

$1.93 MYR 7.87

106.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.69

$16.15 MYR 65.9

-24.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$1.00 MYR 4.07

73.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.89 MYR 3.64

-57.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.45

$2.40 MYR 9.77

210.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.56

$0.59 MYR 2.40

47.46%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

-6.80%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.2K

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

-10.27%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$59.7 MYR 244

-38.61%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.44

$31.36 MYR 128

-68.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 121

$31.26 MYR 128

-4.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$68.8 MYR 281

-43.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.65

$12.31 MYR 50.2

-60.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.29

$4.47 MYR 18.22

16.78%

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

$432 MYR 1,762

$129 MYR 528

233.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

42.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$66.1 MYR 270

-10.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 146

$35.14 MYR 143

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 339

$79.7 MYR 325

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 291

$91.7 MYR 374

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,669

$219 MYR 892

87.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 931

$155 MYR 632

47.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,379

$487 MYR 1,988

19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,689

$338 MYR 1,378

22.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,156

$1,724 MYR 7,035

30.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,317

$1,139 MYR 4,646

-7.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,728

$603 MYR 2,458

51.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.5

-5.78%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $219 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $232 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

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Bintulu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $409 in Penang versus $219 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $837 per month in Penang versus $843 in Bintulu – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 33% less than in Bintulu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang 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 Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.