Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $839 in Penang, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Dhaka

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in Penang versus $426 in Dhaka.

Penang $839
Dhaka $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,314 in Penang versus $735 in Dhaka.

Penang $1,314
Dhaka $735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Penang versus $1,043 in Dhaka.

Penang $1,790
Dhaka $1,043

Living in Penang is roughly 97% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.65

$2.49 ৳306

43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 MYR 81.1

$13.06 ৳1,605

51.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$4.83 ৳594

-5.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$2.34 ৳287

29.91%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.30 ৳37.39

143.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.16 ৳19.96

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.65

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$0.80 ৳98.1

136.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$0.65 ৳79.3

66.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$0.71 ৳87.3

149.30%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.11

$1.21 ৳149

84.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 MYR 56.0

$8.67 ৳1,065

57.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$3.21 ৳395

33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MYR 35.16

$6.70 ৳823

28.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.43

$2.73 ৳335

11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$0.88 ৳109

94.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.91

$2.37 ৳291

12.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.01

$0.65 ৳79.6

126.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.47

$0.24 ৳29.20

354.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.39

$0.49 ৳60.7

118.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$0.32 ৳38.88

256.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.30 ৳37.31

90.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳819

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$3.23 ৳396

43.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 78.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 MYR 21.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.42 ৳52.1

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.3

$22.54 ৳2,770

-45.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.19 ৳147

47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.52

$0.40 ৳48.60

-7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 MYR 29.72

$3.35 ৳411

117.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.15 ৳141

-18.26%

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

$41.0K MYR 167.4K

$30.3K ৳3.7M

35.20%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

$33.0K ৳4.1M

5.57%

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

$36.55 MYR 149

$46.32 ৳5,692

-21.09%

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

$9.97 MYR 40.75

$4.33 ৳532

130.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 MYR 120

$10.63 ৳1,306

175.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 MYR 159

$16.37 ৳2,012

137.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.98 MYR 20.35

$16.14 ৳1,983

-69.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.92

$4.13 ৳508

17.92%

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

$430 MYR 1,757

$90.7 ৳11.1K

373.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$2,649 ৳325.5K

308.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 246

$16.48 ৳2,025

265.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 MYR 144

$21.00 ৳2,580

67.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MYR 341

$50.3 ৳6,175

66.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 MYR 285

$36.46 ৳4,480

91.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,643

$152 ৳18.6K

164.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 MYR 950

$73.6 ৳9,044

215.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 MYR 2,537

$436 ৳53.6K

42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 MYR 1,678

$214 ৳26.3K

91.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 9,045

$1,622 ৳199.3K

36.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 MYR 4,323

$761 ৳93.5K

38.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 MYR 3,855

$249 ৳30.6K

278.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

10.48

-61.45%

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

Last update for Penang: October 5, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$258 30.1%

Dhaka

$123 28.5% 52.5% $136

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$232 27.1%

Dhaka

$74 17.1% 68.3% $159

Eating Out

Penang

$113 13.2%

Dhaka

$64 15% 43% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 13.1%

Dhaka

$56 13% 50.1% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.8%

Dhaka

$61 14.3% 19.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.7%

Dhaka

$25 5.7% 49.2% $24

Getting Around

Penang

$18 2.1%

Dhaka

$27 6.4% 52.8% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Penang and $152 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 279% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

10:51 10:51 AM

08:51 8:51 AM

2 h behind Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Penang Dhaka 2,300 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Penang
Dhaka

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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 279% higher in Penang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $402 in Penang versus $152 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $839 per month in Penang versus $426 in Dhaka – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 83% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dhaka gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Penang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang and Dhaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.