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 $849 per month in Penang vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,356 per month in Penang vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,863 per month in Penang vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.

Penang costs about 21% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.85

$1.93 ₫50.8K

62.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.56 MYR 88.2

$19.46 ₫511.6K

10.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$4.65 ₫122.2K

-10.11%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$1.61 ₫42.3K

83.23%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.51 ₫13.4K

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.29 ₫7,592

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$1.07 ₫28.2K

309.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.59

$1.59 ₫41.7K

185.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$1.38 ₫36.3K

36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.95 ₫24.9K

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 8.00

$1.17 ₫30.7K

67.52%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$1.43 ₫37.5K

41.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 MYR 70.7

$12.59 ₫331.0K

37.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MYR 21.41

$3.64 ₫95.8K

43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$9.79 ₫257.3K

50.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.40

$2.76 ₫72.4K

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$0.94 ₫24.8K

55.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.69

$1.12 ₫29.4K

133.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.05 ₫27.6K

100.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.10 ₫28.9K

7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.19 ₫31.4K

-2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.00 ₫26.3K

-9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.48 ₫12.7K

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.58

$1.38 ₫36.3K

211.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$7.52 ₫197.8K

157.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$0.81 ₫21.4K

233.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$1.60 ₫42.1K

113.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.32 ₫8,321

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.34 MYR 70.9

$3.73 ₫98.2K

364.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.82 ₫21.5K

-17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.69 ₫18.3K

-23.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.19

$12.03 ₫316.4K

-42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.91 ₫24.0K

-49.45%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$27.2K ₫715.2M

21.28%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

$28.1K ₫739.3M

-3.00%

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

$38.52 MYR 158

$74.1 ₫1.9M

-47.99%

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

$10.16 MYR 41.54

$5.97 ₫157.0K

70.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.68 MYR 130

$8.07 ₫212.3K

292.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 MYR 133

$20.06 ₫527.5K

61.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.57 MYR 22.80

$7.52 ₫197.6K

-25.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$3.00 ₫78.9K

63.00%

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

$238 MYR 973

$153 ₫4.0M

55.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

-50.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 MYR 222

$39.61 ₫1.0M

37.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 120

$25.60 ₫673.1K

14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 253

$52.7 ₫1.4M

17.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 215

$76.9 ₫2.0M

-31.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$365 ₫9.6M

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 910

$244 ₫6.4M

-8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,620

$732 ₫19.2M

-12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,111

$458 ₫12.0M

12.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MYR 9,183

$3,767 ₫99.0M

-40.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 MYR 4,779

$1,304 ₫34.3M

-10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 MYR 3,765

$359 ₫9.4M

156.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Penang versus $365 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 156% 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $186 – 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: $849 in Penang, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 21% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,273 per month in Penang and $1,056 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 53% 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 $22.00 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $849 in Penang and $704 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $704 in Da Nang to $849 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.