Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kemaman Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kemaman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $837 per month in Penang vs $909 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,307 per month in Penang vs $1,334 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Penang vs $1,760 in Kemaman, rent included.

Penang is about 8% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Penang and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Penang 39% lower, Kemaman 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.24

$2.73 MYR 11.18

36.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.9

$14.83 MYR 60.7

33.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$4.33 MYR 17.73

5.54%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$3.13 MYR 12.82

-4.79%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.48 MYR 1.96

54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.39 MYR 1.58

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$3.42 MYR 13.98

25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.53

$5.79 MYR 23.71

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.37

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.05 MYR 4.28

0.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.05

$1.00 MYR 4.09

72.00%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$1.15 MYR 4.70

86.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.5

$10.11 MYR 41.39

29.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.68

$3.23 MYR 13.21

33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.87

$9.43 MYR 38.61

-9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$3.57 MYR 14.59

-17.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-13.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$2.15 MYR 8.82

-48.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$2.02 MYR 8.28

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.44 MYR 5.88

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.51 MYR 2.08

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.38

$4.44 MYR 18.15

6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$18.95 MYR 77.6

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.34

$2.68 MYR 10.99

12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.29

$4.61 MYR 18.86

-13.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.71 MYR 2.90

-29.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.85

$11.71 MYR 47.94

4.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.09

$1.22 MYR 4.98

41.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.36 MYR 1.46

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.55

$9.25 MYR 37.85

-19.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.49 MYR 2.00

77.55%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

-0.48%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

5.78%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$49.20 MYR 201

-25.51%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.57

$8.44 MYR 34.55

17.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 122

$26.89 MYR 110

10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$35.26 MYR 144

10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.71

$7.08 MYR 29.00

-31.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.37

$4.84 MYR 19.82

7.85%

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

$432 MYR 1,768

$123 MYR 503

251.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 243

$51.2 MYR 209

15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$30.30 MYR 124

18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 340

$79.2 MYR 324

4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$86.5 MYR 354

-17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,675

$402 MYR 1,645

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

$335 MYR 1,372

-31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

$671 MYR 2,746

-13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

$535 MYR 2,189

-22.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,187

$2,067 MYR 8,461

8.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,331

$1,025 MYR 4,194

3.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.51

-5.99%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Penang versus $402 in Kemaman. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang versus $15.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $245 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kemaman costs about 9% more than Penang, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Penang and $1,363 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang and $15.00 in Kemaman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $837 in Penang and $909 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Kemaman at $909. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.