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: $837 in Penang versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Penang versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Penang costs roughly 14% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, George Town 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.20

$3.36 MYR 13.72

10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.7

$15.02 MYR 61.3

31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.67

$4.75 MYR 19.39

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$2.78 MYR 11.35

7.19%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.77 MYR 3.14

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.32 MYR 1.32

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$2.44 MYR 9.96

76.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.49

$4.36 MYR 17.78

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.35

$1.80 MYR 7.36

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.69 MYR 6.89

1.78%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.74

$2.22 MYR 9.06

-3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.3

$12.99 MYR 53.0

0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$4.30 MYR 17.55

0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.79

$8.63 MYR 35.22

-1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.96

$2.43 MYR 9.93

20.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.76

$1.48 MYR 6.05

12.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.48

$2.24 MYR 9.13

14.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.22 MYR 4.96

19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$0.92 MYR 3.77

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$0.85 MYR 3.49

36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$0.77 MYR 3.15

48.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.33

$4.62 MYR 18.84

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$19.06 MYR 77.8

-0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.31

$2.51 MYR 10.26

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.25

$3.59 MYR 14.65

10.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.47 MYR 1.90

6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.73

$10.93 MYR 44.63

11.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.07

$1.20 MYR 4.92

44.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.47

$6.71 MYR 27.41

11.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.56

$0.76 MYR 3.10

14.47%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.3K

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-1.43%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.3K

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

21.55%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$36.69 MYR 150

-0.11%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.47

$8.25 MYR 33.68

20.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 121

$29.93 MYR 122

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$41.24 MYR 168

-5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.66

$4.77 MYR 19.49

1.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.31

$4.71 MYR 19.23

10.83%

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

$432 MYR 1,763

$175 MYR 715

146.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

113.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$55.0 MYR 225

7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$34.40 MYR 140

4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 339

$73.1 MYR 298

13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$71.2 MYR 291

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,670

$498 MYR 2,034

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 932

$373 MYR 1,524

-38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,381

$919 MYR 3,750

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,690

$980 MYR 4,001

-57.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,320

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,730

$1,081 MYR 4,414

-15.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 18% 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 $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $239 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

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in George Town. 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: $409 in Penang versus $498 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 11% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $432 in Penang versus $175 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $837 in Penang versus $969 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.