Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Penang vs $720 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,359 per month in Penang vs $1,104 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,868 per month in Penang vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.

Penang costs about 18% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Penang 37% lower, Da Nang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.34

$1.97 ₫51.8K

57.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 82.7

$18.92 ₫497.2K

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.60 ₫120.8K

-10.00%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$1.63 ₫42.9K

73.62%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.50 ₫13.1K

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.29 ₫7,495

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.40

$1.02 ₫26.9K

330.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.63

$1.60 ₫42.0K

178.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.43 ₫37.5K

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.02 ₫26.9K

-2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.78

$1.15 ₫30.3K

70.43%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$1.42 ₫37.4K

50.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 67.8

$12.25 ₫321.8K

39.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.11

$3.63 ₫95.5K

39.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 57.5

$10.13 ₫266.3K

43.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.00

$2.75 ₫72.2K

0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.00 ₫26.2K

52.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.30

$1.09 ₫28.6K

138.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.42

$1.07 ₫28.1K

98.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.13 ₫29.8K

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.15 ₫30.2K

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.78

$1.04 ₫27.4K

-8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.48 ₫12.6K

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.41

$1.36 ₫35.7K

204.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 78.5

$7.71 ₫202.5K

156.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.31

$0.86 ₫22.7K

202.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.94

$1.66 ₫43.7K

111.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.32 ₫8,325

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 71.4

$3.92 ₫103.0K

359.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$0.90 ₫23.6K

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$0.69 ₫18.0K

-21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 27.68

$11.67 ₫306.7K

-40.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.89 ₫23.4K

-43.82%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

$26.8K ₫705.1M

26.70%

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

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

$28.1K ₫738.4M

-4.04%

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

$39.05 MYR 155

$74.3 ₫2.0M

-47.45%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.09

$5.71 ₫150.1K

77.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 123

$8.07 ₫212.1K

283.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 128

$20.37 ₫535.3K

57.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.44

$7.65 ₫201.0K

-29.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.49

$3.11 ₫81.6K

58.20%

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

$240 MYR 950

$156 ₫4.1M

54.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

$12.7K ₫333.9M

-51.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 220

$38.62 ₫1.0M

43.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 115

$26.00 ₫683.1K

11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 241

$52.7 ₫1.4M

15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 206

$75.8 ₫2.0M

-31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,539

$360 ₫9.5M

7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 909

$249 ₫6.5M

-7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,530

$727 ₫19.1M

-12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,034

$459 ₫12.0M

11.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,190

$3,870 ₫101.7M

-40.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,678

$1,283 ₫33.7M

-8.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,762

$353 ₫9.3M

168.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

10.67

-61.01%

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

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Penang versus $360 in Da Nang. 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 169% higher in Penang, 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 $21.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $188 – making Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $850 in Penang, $720 in Da Nang – roughly 18% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,275 per month in Penang and $1,080 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 51% more in Penang, 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 $21.00 in Penang and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Penang at $850. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penang it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Da Nang to $850 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 Da Nang. 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.