Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Penang versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Penang versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,901 in Penang versus $1,781 in George Town.

Living in Penang is roughly 5% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 35% lower, George Town 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.13 MYR 12.71

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$21.31 MYR 86.4

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.14 MYR 16.80

4.59%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.58 MYR 10.46

13.95%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.77 MYR 3.14

-11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.33 MYR 1.36

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$4.26 MYR 17.26

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$4.79 MYR 19.42

-6.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.85 MYR 7.50

-2.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.12 MYR 4.54

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.69 MYR 6.85

20.12%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.05 MYR 8.32

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-0.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.95 MYR 20.07

5.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$10.66 MYR 43.24

41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.82 MYR 11.44

1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.43 MYR 5.82

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.19 MYR 8.87

17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.26 MYR 5.12

67.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$0.89 MYR 3.59

32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.69 MYR 2.78

37.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.02 MYR 16.28

8.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$12.54 MYR 50.9

56.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.63 MYR 10.68

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$3.38 MYR 13.72

0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.49 MYR 1.97

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.56 MYR 46.89

50.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-40.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.44 MYR 1.78

22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$6.61 MYR 26.80

8.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-0.78%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

10.31%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$38.53 MYR 156

0.18%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.93 MYR 40.25

1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$29.52 MYR 120

6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$38.84 MYR 157

-14.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$3.66 MYR 14.85

48.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.06 MYR 16.45

20.94%

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

$238 MYR 963

$150 MYR 607

58.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

35.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$50.8 MYR 206

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$29.05 MYR 118

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$52.4 MYR 213

2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$370 MYR 1,501

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$259 MYR 1,051

-11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$712 MYR 2,887

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$498 MYR 2,018

5.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$1,085 MYR 4,400

-12.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Penang and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $251 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, George Town earns 14% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Penang versus $370 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 51% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $238 in Penang versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

For families, George Town 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 George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.