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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $957 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,416 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,876 in Kemaman, rent included.

Penang is about 9% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Penang and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$2.52 MYR 10.20

20.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$14.10 MYR 57.2

53.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$3.70 MYR 14.99

17.03%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.29 MYR 9.30

28.38%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.49 MYR 1.99

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.34 MYR 1.38

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$4.29 MYR 17.40

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$5.46 MYR 22.16

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.87 MYR 7.59

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.00 MYR 4.06

-1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$0.98 MYR 3.97

107.14%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.16 MYR 4.72

83.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$14.17 MYR 57.4

22.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$3.72 MYR 15.07

40.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$9.71 MYR 39.36

55.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$3.97 MYR 16.11

-27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.75 MYR 7.10

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$3.29 MYR 13.36

-21.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$2.52 MYR 10.23

-16.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-30.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.00 MYR 4.07

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.07 MYR 4.34

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.49 MYR 1.99

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.33 MYR 17.58

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$20.19 MYR 81.9

-2.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$4.38 MYR 17.77

-40.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$5.44 MYR 22.06

-37.50%

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

$11.70 MYR 47.45

48.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.10 MYR 4.45

-50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$4.23 MYR 17.15

70.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-4.08%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

-25.12%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

-14.34%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$74.5 MYR 302

-48.19%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.68 MYR 39.23

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$27.84 MYR 113

12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$37.27 MYR 151

-11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.86 MYR 23.78

-7.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$5.73 MYR 23.23

-14.31%

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

$238 MYR 963

$117 MYR 476

102.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

45.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$108 MYR 440

-49.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$27.79 MYR 113

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$75.3 MYR 305

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$78.4 MYR 318

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$389 MYR 1,578

-0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$265 MYR 1,073

-13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$655 MYR 2,656

-2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$467 MYR 1,894

12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,765 MYR 7,157

27.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$896 MYR 3,631

32.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.96

5.05%

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

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $389 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $14.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $274 – 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

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,435 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 $22.00 in Penang and $14.00 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 $869 in Penang and $957 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Penang and $957 in Kemaman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.