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: $862 in Penang versus $781 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,224 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,667 in Bintulu.

Living in Penang is roughly 10% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Bintulu 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.71 MYR 14.66

-16.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$17.73 MYR 70.0

19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$5.67 MYR 22.40

-27.34%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.80 MYR 11.07

2.86%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.62 MYR 2.44

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$2.80 MYR 11.05

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$4.89 MYR 19.33

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.74 MYR 6.88

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.38 MYR 5.45

-25.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.32 MYR 5.21

50.76%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.11 MYR 8.34

-3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$16.62 MYR 65.7

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$3.33 MYR 13.17

48.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$5.77 MYR 22.79

160.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$1.61 MYR 6.36

78.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$0.90 MYR 3.57

67.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$1.63 MYR 6.44

61.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.11 MYR 4.38

88.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$0.49 MYR 1.95

140.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.20 MYR 4.76

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$0.73 MYR 2.88

24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.42 MYR 1.66

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.08 MYR 16.12

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$19.12 MYR 75.5

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.79 MYR 11.01

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$1.91 MYR 7.53

77.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-61.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$15.86 MYR 62.6

10.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.92 MYR 3.63

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.88 MYR 3.46

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$2.39 MYR 9.46

190.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.51 MYR 2.03

-9.80%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

-21.67%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

-26.92%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$57.9 MYR 229

-32.06%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.27 MYR 36.61

10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$29.53 MYR 117

5.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$65.7 MYR 259

-49.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$6.00 MYR 23.71

-10.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.26 MYR 16.84

12.91%

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

$240 MYR 947

$122 MYR 483

95.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

-12.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$63.3 MYR 250

-14.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$33.69 MYR 133

-13.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$76.8 MYR 303

-21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$89.5 MYR 353

-41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$213 MYR 843

78.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$151 MYR 597

49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$467 MYR 1,845

36.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$316 MYR 1,248

66.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,831 MYR 7,234

26.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$1,198 MYR 4,732

-0.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$639 MYR 2,525

51.45%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $213 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 51% 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: $21.00 in Penang vs $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $222 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 10% 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 51% 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: $381 in Penang versus $213 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Penang versus $781 in Bintulu – a 10% 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 $781 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 10% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.