Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $848 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,302 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,756 in Butterworth, rent included.

Penang costs about 3% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Butterworth 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.01 MYR 12.20

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$21.47 MYR 87.1

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.81 MYR 19.49

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.84 MYR 11.53

3.52%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.69 MYR 2.78

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.36 MYR 1.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$4.21 MYR 17.08

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$4.34 MYR 17.60

2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.89 MYR 7.68

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.04 MYR 4.20

-4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.73 MYR 7.00

17.34%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.12 MYR 8.59

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$14.32 MYR 58.1

21.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.61 MYR 18.71

13.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$9.95 MYR 40.36

51.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.78 MYR 11.28

3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.44 MYR 5.83

2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-1.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.45 MYR 5.88

45.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.18 MYR 4.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.21 MYR 4.92

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.95 MYR 3.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.45 MYR 1.83

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.25 MYR 17.25

2.59%

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

$2.72 MYR 11.03

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$3.42 MYR 13.86

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.97 MYR 48.55

45.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$0.68 MYR 2.75

1.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.50 MYR 2.05

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$4.82 MYR 19.53

49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.01

-6.00%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$33.2K MYR 134.7K

-0.87%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

-1.29%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$39.38 MYR 160

-1.98%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$10.27 MYR 41.64

-2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$25.38 MYR 103

23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$36.37 MYR 147

-9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.93 MYR 24.03

-8.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$5.08 MYR 20.59

-3.35%

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

$238 MYR 963

$240 MYR 971

-0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$6,304 MYR 25.6K

-1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$55.8 MYR 226

-2.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$28.30 MYR 115

0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$60.2 MYR 244

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$52.5 MYR 213

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$383 MYR 1,553

1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$269 MYR 1,093

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$641 MYR 2,599

-0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$474 MYR 1,921

10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,978 MYR 8,021

13.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$955 MYR 3,873

24.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $383 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Penang versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $256 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Penang, $848 in Butterworth – roughly 3% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,272 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Penang and $848 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Penang and $848 in Butterworth, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $848 in Butterworth to $869 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.