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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Penang vs $846 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,306 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,766 in Butterworth, rent included.

Penang costs about 2% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Butterworth 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$3.08 MYR 12.58

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$20.93 MYR 85.5

3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.68 MYR 19.11

-11.32%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.85 MYR 11.65

4.21%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.72 MYR 2.96

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.34 MYR 1.38

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$4.29 MYR 17.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$4.35 MYR 17.78

2.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.80 MYR 7.36

4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.03 MYR 4.21

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.67 MYR 6.83

23.35%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$2.12 MYR 8.66

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$14.62 MYR 59.7

16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.71 MYR 19.25

10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$9.92 MYR 40.52

50.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.80 MYR 11.43

3.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.47 MYR 6.00

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.68 MYR 10.96

-0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$1.52 MYR 6.21

38.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.14 MYR 4.67

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.17 MYR 4.77

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$0.90 MYR 3.68

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.45 MYR 1.85

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$4.37 MYR 17.83

-4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$18.14 MYR 74.1

6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$2.70 MYR 11.02

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$3.47 MYR 14.19

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.72 MYR 2.95

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$11.55 MYR 47.16

53.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.68 MYR 2.77

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.50 MYR 2.03

2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.19

$4.62 MYR 18.86

49.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.49 MYR 2.01

2.04%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$33.5K MYR 136.8K

1.70%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$27.6K MYR 112.5K

-0.77%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$39.20 MYR 160

-0.38%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$10.29 MYR 42.00

-1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$25.61 MYR 105

23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$36.45 MYR 149

-11.11%

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

$4.93 MYR 20.13

-2.43%

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

$240 MYR 978

$239 MYR 975

0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$6,139 MYR 25.1K

0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$54.5 MYR 222

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$29.06 MYR 119

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$60.7 MYR 248

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$52.9 MYR 216

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$381 MYR 1,556

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$274 MYR 1,118

-17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$648 MYR 2,646

-1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$475 MYR 1,940

9.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,997

$2,072 MYR 8,459

6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,150 MYR 4,698

0.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $381 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: $286 vs $253 – 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: $867 in Penang, $846 in Butterworth – roughly 2% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,268 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 $867 in Penang and $846 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $867 in Penang and $846 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 $846 in Butterworth to $867 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.