Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Penang versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Penang is roughly 35% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Bukit Mertajam 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$1.85 MYR 7.32

67.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$20.24 MYR 80.0

4.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$3.82 MYR 15.09

7.85%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.33 MYR 9.19

23.61%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.02 MYR 11.93

42.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$4.74 MYR 18.71

-6.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.68 MYR 6.63

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.13 MYR 4.47

-8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$0.61 MYR 2.41

226.23%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.86 MYR 7.34

9.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.88 MYR 19.27

1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$10.54 MYR 41.64

42.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-25.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-22.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-18.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.71 MYR 6.75

-30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.00 MYR 3.97

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.07 MYR 4.22

-14.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.36 MYR 1.44

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.19 MYR 16.55

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$19.23 MYR 76.0

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.56 MYR 10.10

32.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.90 MYR 47.00

47.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-53.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$4.17 MYR 16.49

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-8.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

-24.00%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

-11.08%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$26.25 MYR 104

49.75%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.95 MYR 39.29

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$28.38 MYR 112

9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$36.20 MYR 143

-8.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$6.00 MYR 23.72

-10.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.30 MYR 16.98

11.86%

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

$240 MYR 947

$117 MYR 461

105.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$11.96 MYR 47.25

355.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$63.0 MYR 249

-53.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$23.31 MYR 92.1

159.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$79.9 MYR 316

-34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$383 MYR 1,514

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$59.0 MYR 233

284.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$647 MYR 2,556

-1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$467 MYR 1,845

12.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$975 MYR 3,853

-0.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.96

5.05%

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

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $297, with Penang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $639 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $381 in Penang versus $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Penang versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $862 in Penang, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Penang and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.