Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Cheras

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $913 a month against $1,139 in Cheras, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Cheras
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Cheras Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Cheras

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Cheras

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 Cheras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $913 per month in Penang vs $1,139 in Cheras, rent included.

Penang $913
Cheras $1,139

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Penang vs $1,560 in Cheras, rent included.

Penang $1,403
Cheras $1,560

A family of three spends $1,894 per month in Penang vs $1,982 in Cheras, rent included.

Penang $1,894
Cheras $1,982

Penang is about 20% cheaper than Cheras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Penang and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Penang 33% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$3.61 MYR 14.72

3.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 81.1

$24.03 MYR 97.9

-17.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$5.02 MYR 20.44

-4.78%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$2.99 MYR 12.17

-0.33%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.07

$0.91 MYR 3.71

-17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.57 MYR 2.32

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.55

$4.33 MYR 17.63

-6.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.83

$6.32 MYR 25.74

-30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.89 MYR 7.69

-1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.07 MYR 4.36

0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.49 MYR 6.07

18.12%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.04

$1.78 MYR 7.26

24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.9

$18.03 MYR 73.5

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.13

$4.56 MYR 18.59

-2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.45

$10.89 MYR 44.39

-20.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.89

$3.58 MYR 14.59

-18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.72

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.63

$2.63 MYR 10.73

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.70

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-16.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$2.08 MYR 8.48

-49.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.55

$1.65 MYR 6.73

-32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$1.33 MYR 5.43

-17.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.50 MYR 2.05

18.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 19.09

$4.30 MYR 17.53

9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.7

$14.15 MYR 57.7

36.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.24

$2.66 MYR 10.82

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 22.04

$3.15 MYR 12.83

71.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.76 MYR 3.11

-34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 49.00

$12.45 MYR 50.7

-3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$0.94 MYR 3.84

76.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.36 MYR 1.46

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.44

$9.17 MYR 37.38

-18.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.86 MYR 3.52

10.47%

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

$44.2K MYR 180.1K

$45.0K MYR 183.5K

-1.89%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.7K

$35.8K MYR 146.0K

-0.17%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$49.55 MYR 202

-25.97%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.94

$10.91 MYR 44.46

-12.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$27.88 MYR 114

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 160

$52.1 MYR 212

-24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.78

$6.66 MYR 27.12

-27.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$4.99 MYR 20.35

-4.21%

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

$398 MYR 1,620

$164 MYR 667

142.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$4,411 MYR 18.0K

140.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 248

$53.6 MYR 218

13.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$30.08 MYR 123

17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 340

$81.9 MYR 334

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 286

$97.3 MYR 396

-27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,662

$386 MYR 1,574

5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,170

$463 MYR 1,886

-37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,842

$666 MYR 2,713

4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,176

$490 MYR 1,995

9.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,624

$2,001 MYR 8,155

5.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,137

$1,081 MYR 4,402

16.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,795

$1,161 MYR 4,730

-19.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.06

-0.49%

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cheras: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Cheras

$463 40.6% 61.2% $176

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Cheras

$269 23.6% 4.5% $12

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Cheras

$120 10.5% 5.8% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Cheras

$118 10.4% 5.1% $5.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Cheras

$88 7.8% 16.7% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Cheras

$62 5.5% 27.3% $13

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Cheras

$18 1.6% 3.6% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Penang versus $386 in Cheras. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Cheras, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang versus $24 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $269 – making Penang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Cheras

🕒 Local time

01:40 1:40 AM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

440,000

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Penang Cheras 300 km

From you

Penang
Cheras

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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Penang and $1,708 in Cheras. 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 $386 in Cheras. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang and $24 in Cheras. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $913 in Penang to $1,139 in Cheras. 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 Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.