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 $859 per month in Penang vs $874 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Penang vs $1,402 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,786 per month in Penang vs $1,930 in Da Nang, rent included.

Penang is about 2% cheaper 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.15

$2.33 ₫60.8K

60.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.0

$19.42 ₫506.4K

0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.22

$4.46 ₫116.3K

6.50%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.41

$1.72 ₫44.9K

78.49%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.68 ₫17.8K

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.34 ₫8,933

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.85

$1.30 ₫33.9K

220.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MYR 17.84

$2.36 ₫61.6K

86.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.35

$1.54 ₫40.2K

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.27

$1.22 ₫31.9K

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.28

$1.06 ₫27.6K

69.81%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.92

$1.52 ₫39.7K

45.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 MYR 53.7

$12.97 ₫338.0K

2.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 MYR 18.31

$4.05 ₫105.7K

11.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 MYR 35.80

$9.27 ₫241.8K

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.81

$2.69 ₫70.2K

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.83

$1.11 ₫28.9K

52.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.49

$1.33 ₫34.6K

95.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.38 ₫35.9K

7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$1.09 ₫28.5K

-1.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.48

$1.21 ₫31.6K

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.03 ₫26.9K

7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.17

$0.52 ₫13.6K

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.37

$1.55 ₫40.5K

192.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.01 MYR 76.9

$7.71 ₫201.1K

146.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.18

$0.90 ₫23.6K

234.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.68

$2.14 ₫55.8K

92.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.32 ₫8,222

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.59 MYR 50.9

$5.07 ₫132.1K

148.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.03 ₫26.9K

70.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.65 ₫17.0K

-35.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 MYR 30.67

$19.08 ₫497.3K

-60.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.53

$0.85 ₫22.2K

2.35%

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

$43.1K MYR 174.1K

$30.7K ₫801.3M

40.13%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.6K

$27.6K ₫718.3M

26.23%

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

$38.08 MYR 154

$88.0 ₫2.3M

-56.73%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.66

$6.28 ₫163.7K

60.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MYR 119

$7.91 ₫206.3K

272.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 MYR 157

$22.18 ₫578.3K

74.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 MYR 19.80

$5.30 ₫138.2K

-7.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.62

$3.02 ₫78.7K

68.87%

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

$438 MYR 1,770

$161 ₫4.2M

172.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$15.1K ₫394.3M

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 248

$46.10 ₫1.2M

33.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 145

$27.21 ₫709.3K

31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 MYR 344

$103 ₫2.7M

-16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MYR 281

$81.7 ₫2.1M

-14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,654

$529 ₫13.8M

-22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 959

$346 ₫9.0M

-31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MYR 2,316

$1,037 ₫27.0M

-44.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,692

$809 ₫21.1M

-48.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,246 MYR 9,081

$3,809 ₫99.3M

-41.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 MYR 4,369

$1,312 ₫34.2M

-17.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 MYR 3,750

$350 ₫9.1M

165.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

10.72

-60.45%

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

Last update for Penang: September 1, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Penang versus $529 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 165% higher in Penang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $198 – 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: $859 in Penang, $874 in Da Nang – roughly 2% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,289 per month in Penang and $1,311 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Da Nang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $859 in Penang and $874 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 $859 in Penang to $874 in Da Nang. 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, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.