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: $862 in Penang versus $843 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,306 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,769 in George Town.

Living in Penang is roughly 2% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, George Town 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.02 MYR 11.93

2.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$21.35 MYR 84.3

-1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.27 MYR 16.86

-3.51%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.62 MYR 10.35

9.92%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.77 MYR 3.03

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.44

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$4.36 MYR 17.20

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.82 MYR 7.21

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-8.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.67 MYR 6.60

19.16%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.10 MYR 8.31

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$17.50 MYR 69.1

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.97 MYR 19.65

-0.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$10.47 MYR 41.35

43.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.86 MYR 11.30

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.40 MYR 5.53

7.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.25 MYR 8.90

16.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.28 MYR 5.04

63.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$0.87 MYR 3.44

35.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.16 MYR 4.57

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$0.70 MYR 2.76

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.52 MYR 2.04

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.18 MYR 16.51

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$12.70 MYR 50.2

52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.64 MYR 10.45

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$3.36 MYR 13.29

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.80 MYR 46.62

48.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.44 MYR 1.73

20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$6.39 MYR 25.26

8.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-6.12%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

-1.67%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

11.76%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$38.18 MYR 151

2.96%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.68 MYR 38.23

5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$28.98 MYR 114

7.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$38.37 MYR 152

-13.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$3.78 MYR 14.94

42.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.13 MYR 16.30

16.46%

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

$240 MYR 947

$146 MYR 578

63.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

32.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$52.5 MYR 207

3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$28.61 MYR 113

1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$62.5 MYR 247

-3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$52.1 MYR 206

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$371 MYR 1,465

2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$253 MYR 999

-10.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$709 MYR 2,799

-9.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$498 MYR 1,969

5.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$1,112 MYR 4,393

-12.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $371 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $21.00 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $251, with George Town cheaper for home cooking.

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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, George Town earns 15% 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: $381 in Penang versus $371 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 49% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $240 in Penang versus $146 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 2% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.