Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Penang versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Penang versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,901 in Penang versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Penang costs roughly 8% less than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 35% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.59 MYR 14.56

-15.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$18.77 MYR 76.1

15.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-7.68%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-2.65%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$3.64 MYR 14.78

20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-32.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.82 MYR 7.37

-0.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.93 MYR 3.76

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.29 MYR 5.25

57.36%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.87 MYR 7.59

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$10.72 MYR 43.49

61.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$3.49 MYR 14.17

49.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$8.21 MYR 33.29

83.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.77 MYR 11.21

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.48 MYR 6.00

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.48 MYR 10.04

3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.26 MYR 5.10

67.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.14 MYR 4.61

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.33 MYR 5.38

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.94 MYR 3.82

1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.57 MYR 2.30

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.19 MYR 16.98

4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$14.08 MYR 57.1

39.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$2.93 MYR 11.90

16.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-39.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.67 MYR 47.34

49.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.02 MYR 4.13

-32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.99 MYR 4.03

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$9.41 MYR 38.15

-23.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.46 MYR 1.85

2.17%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-8.07%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

-0.46%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$41.08 MYR 167

-6.04%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.14 MYR 37.06

10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$30.22 MYR 123

4.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$34.97 MYR 142

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$6.01 MYR 24.37

-9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-2.58%

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

$238 MYR 963

$184 MYR 746

29.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

-10.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$49.20 MYR 200

10.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$19.06 MYR 77.3

48.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$54.1 MYR 219

11.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$40.69 MYR 165

31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$469 MYR 1,901

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$397 MYR 1,611

-42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$816 MYR 3,311

-21.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$611 MYR 2,478

-14.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$2,079 MYR 8,432

8.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$1,163 MYR 4,714

1.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-14.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.07

2.21%

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

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Penang and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 16% 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: $22.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $217 per month, with Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang and Johor Bahru differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $943 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 16% 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 $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $19.00 in Johor Bahru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Penang versus $943 in Johor Bahru – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Penang versus $943 in Johor Bahru, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Johor Bahru. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Penang and Johor Bahru 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 8% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.