Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Butterworth

For one person, living costs are similar in Penang and in Butterworth: $913 and $913 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Butterworth
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Butterworth Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Butterworth

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Butterworth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Butterworth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $913 per month in Penang vs $913 in Butterworth, rent included.

Penang $913
Butterworth $913

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Penang vs $1,408 in Butterworth, rent included.

Penang $1,403
Butterworth $1,408

A family of three spends $1,894 per month in Penang vs $1,902 in Butterworth, rent included.

Penang $1,894
Butterworth $1,902

Penang and Butterworth have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Penang and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Penang 33% lower, Butterworth 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.11

$3.72 MYR 15.10

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 80.7

$19.36 MYR 78.5

2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.38

$4.77 MYR 19.36

0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.08

$2.89 MYR 11.71

3.11%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$0.73 MYR 2.95

2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 MYR 1.48

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$4.12 MYR 16.71

-1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.74

$4.38 MYR 17.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$2.12 MYR 8.58

-12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.39

$1.10 MYR 4.47

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.16

$1.69 MYR 6.85

4.14%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.00

$2.24 MYR 9.09

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.6

$13.69 MYR 55.5

-1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.04

$4.49 MYR 18.19

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.27

$8.64 MYR 35.03

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.83

$3.06 MYR 12.42

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.68

$1.71 MYR 6.92

-3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.58

$2.23 MYR 9.04

17.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.67

$1.47 MYR 5.96

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.06 MYR 4.31

-0.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.53

$1.09 MYR 4.40

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.45

$1.09 MYR 4.41

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.38

$0.58 MYR 2.37

1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 18.99

$4.36 MYR 17.69

7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.3

$19.00 MYR 77.0

1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.18

$2.93 MYR 11.86

2.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 21.92

$4.98 MYR 20.18

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 48.76

$10.85 MYR 44.00

10.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.19 MYR 4.81

39.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.53

$0.38 MYR 1.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.28

$4.85 MYR 19.64

54.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.83

$0.89 MYR 3.59

6.74%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.2K

$43.5K MYR 176.3K

1.63%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.0K

$35.5K MYR 143.8K

0.83%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$36.81 MYR 149

-0.35%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.74

$8.61 MYR 34.89

11.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$26.45 MYR 107

11.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 159

$32.93 MYR 133

19.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.68

$5.90 MYR 23.90

-17.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.37

$4.79 MYR 19.44

-0.21%

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

$398 MYR 1,612

$240 MYR 973

65.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.0K

$10.9K MYR 44.1K

-2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 247

$59.8 MYR 242

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$35.01 MYR 142

1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 339

$82.5 MYR 334

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 284

$69.5 MYR 282

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,654

$412 MYR 1,671

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,164

$300 MYR 1,218

-4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,828

$813 MYR 3,296

-14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,165

$563 MYR 2,283

-5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,580

$1,966 MYR 7,969

7.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,111

$1,205 MYR 4,886

4.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,776

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Butterworth

$300 32.9% 4.6% $13

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Butterworth

$258 28.3% 0.4% $1.1

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Butterworth

$113 12.3% 0.8% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Butterworth

$111 12.2% 1.3% $1.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Butterworth

$72 7.9% 5.1% $3.8

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Butterworth

$43 4.7% 12.8% $6.3

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Butterworth

$17 1.8% 5.1% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Penang versus $412 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 $20 in Penang versus $19 in Butterworth. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Penang vs $258 in Butterworth – so Penang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Butterworth

🕒 Local time

01:35 1:35 AM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

339,132

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Penang Butterworth 14 km

From you

Penang
Butterworth

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Penang and $1,370 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $408 in Penang and $412 in Butterworth. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $398 per month in Penang and $240 in Butterworth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $913 in Penang to $913 in Butterworth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.