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: $862 in Penang versus $966 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,378 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,791 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Penang costs roughly 11% less than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Johor Bahru 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.53 MYR 13.93

-12.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$18.69 MYR 73.8

13.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.76 MYR 18.82

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$3.01 MYR 11.90

-4.32%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.85 MYR 3.35

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.51 MYR 13.85

22.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$6.76 MYR 26.71

-34.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.80 MYR 7.11

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$0.98 MYR 3.89

5.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.24 MYR 4.89

60.48%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.84 MYR 7.26

10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$10.67 MYR 42.16

62.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$3.55 MYR 14.01

39.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$8.25 MYR 32.60

81.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.66 MYR 10.51

8.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.46 MYR 5.76

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.57 MYR 10.16

2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.25 MYR 4.93

67.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.14 MYR 4.51

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.34 MYR 5.30

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$0.94 MYR 3.71

-3.19%

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

$4.17 MYR 16.47

2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$14.50 MYR 57.3

33.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.68 MYR 10.59

2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.92 MYR 11.53

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.81 MYR 46.65

48.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.97 MYR 3.84

-23.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-23.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.47 MYR 1.84

-2.13%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

-3.73%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

-0.65%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$40.87 MYR 161

-3.82%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.23 MYR 36.44

10.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$30.64 MYR 121

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$35.09 MYR 139

-5.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.82 MYR 22.99

-7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.90 MYR 19.35

-1.84%

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

$240 MYR 947

$191 MYR 755

25.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

-10.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$49.07 MYR 194

10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$19.14 MYR 75.6

51.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$54.2 MYR 214

11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$39.65 MYR 157

32.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$468 MYR 1,848

-18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$396 MYR 1,565

-42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$843 MYR 3,331

-24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$599 MYR 2,366

-12.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$2,090 MYR 8,254

10.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$1,190 MYR 4,700

0.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$1,155 MYR 4,562

-16.17%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $468 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 19% 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: $21.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $218 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 12% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $966 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 19% 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 $468 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 $21.00 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 $862 per month in Penang versus $966 in Johor Bahru – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

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 12% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.