Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Cyberjaya, Selangor

For one person, living costs are similar in Penang and in Cyberjaya, Selangor: $856 and $853 a month, rent and utilities included.

41

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Cyberjaya, Selangor
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Cyberjaya, Selangor Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$856

/mo nomad

Cyberjaya, Selangor

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$853

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Cyberjaya, Selangor

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

A single person spends $856 per month in Penang vs $853 in Cyberjaya, Selangor, rent included.

Penang $856
Cyberjaya, Selangor $853

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Penang vs $1,190 in Cyberjaya, Selangor, rent included.

Penang $1,310
Cyberjaya, Selangor $1,190

A family of three spends $1,764 per month in Penang vs $1,528 in Cyberjaya, Selangor, rent included.

Penang $1,764
Cyberjaya, Selangor $1,528

Penang and Cyberjaya, Selangor have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$2.77 MYR 11.30

35.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.62 MYR 80.0

$16.96 MYR 69.2

15.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.90

$4.86 MYR 19.84

-4.73%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.74

$1.73 MYR 7.07

66.47%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.72 MYR 2.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.51

$0.23 MYR 0.93

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 17.05

$1.90 MYR 7.76

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MYR 18.32

$3.72 MYR 15.17

20.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.32

$1.75 MYR 7.15

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.43

$0.99 MYR 4.04

10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.50 MYR 6.11

15.33%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 9.13

$1.33 MYR 5.45

68.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 MYR 55.0

$11.68 MYR 47.66

15.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.66

$3.55 MYR 14.49

21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 MYR 34.43

$3.76 MYR 15.35

124.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$2.44 MYR 9.94

21.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$1.62 MYR 6.61

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 MYR 11.00

$1.88 MYR 7.66

43.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.94

$1.02 MYR 4.17

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$0.74 MYR 3.03

44.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.40

$0.87 MYR 3.56

24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$0.96 MYR 3.93

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.35

$0.47 MYR 1.91

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MYR 18.75

$4.21 MYR 17.18

9.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 MYR 77.3

$14.36 MYR 58.6

31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.90

$1.99 MYR 8.12

46.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 MYR 21.00

$1.98 MYR 8.06

160.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$1.01 MYR 4.10

-50.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 MYR 50.4

$12.29 MYR 50.1

0.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.04

$0.76 MYR 3.10

127.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-50.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 MYR 30.09

$9.75 MYR 39.76

-24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$0.67 MYR 2.74

41.79%

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

$45.2K MYR 184.4K

$39.7K MYR 161.9K

13.91%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.4K

$34.3K MYR 140.0K

1.70%

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

$36.48 MYR 149

$53.2 MYR 217

-31.45%

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

$9.94 MYR 40.55

$8.24 MYR 33.63

20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.72 MYR 117

$24.73 MYR 101

16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 MYR 159

$53.7 MYR 219

-27.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.83 MYR 19.70

$10.89 MYR 44.42

-55.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.45

$4.87 MYR 19.87

2.87%

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

$427 MYR 1,740

$161 MYR 656

165.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.1K

$2,486 MYR 10.1K

334.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$54.9 MYR 224

9.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 MYR 143

$16.83 MYR 68.7

108.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 MYR 342

$81.8 MYR 334

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 288

$97.5 MYR 398

-27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 MYR 1,631

$349 MYR 1,424

14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 MYR 956

$298 MYR 1,216

-21.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 MYR 2,474

$618 MYR 2,520

-1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 MYR 1,679

$338 MYR 1,378

21.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,161 MYR 8,817

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MYR 4,433

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,842

$1,722 MYR 7,024

-45.31%

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 18, 2026

Last update for Cyberjaya, Selangor: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$255 29.8%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$193 22.7% 24.1% $61

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$234 27.4%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$298 34.9% 27.2% $64

Eating Out

Penang

$113 13.2%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$78 9.2% 30.5% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 13.1%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$113 13.2% 0.6% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$75 8.8%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$86 10.1% 14.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.7%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$63 7.4% 29.4% $14

Getting Around

Penang

$18 2.1%

Cyberjaya, Selangor

$21 2.4% 15.8% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Penang versus $349 in Cyberjaya, Selangor. 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 83% higher in Cyberjaya, Selangor. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang versus $17.00 in Cyberjaya, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $193 – making Cyberjaya, Selangor the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Cyberjaya, Selangor

🕒 Local time

20:36 8:36 PM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

79,200

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Penang Cyberjaya, Selangor 310 km

From you

Penang
Cyberjaya, Selangor

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 Cyberjaya, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,284 per month in Penang and $1,280 in Cyberjaya, Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% more in Penang, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Penang and $161 in Cyberjaya, Selangor. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $856 in Penang and $853 in Cyberjaya, Selangor, 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 $853 in Cyberjaya, Selangor to $856 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 Cyberjaya, Selangor. 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.