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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $862 per month in Penang vs $954 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Penang vs $1,407 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Penang vs $1,860 in Kemaman, rent included.

Penang is about 10% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Penang and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$2.62 MYR 10.35

18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$14.31 MYR 56.5

47.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$3.83 MYR 15.14

7.57%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.31 MYR 9.12

24.68%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.49 MYR 1.92

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.44

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$4.17 MYR 16.49

3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$5.32 MYR 21.01

-16.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.01 MYR 4.00

1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$0.98 MYR 3.86

103.06%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.11 MYR 4.38

83.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$14.41 MYR 56.9

20.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$3.70 MYR 14.60

33.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$9.41 MYR 37.17

59.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$3.86 MYR 15.23

-25.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$3.42 MYR 13.50

-23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$2.55 MYR 10.09

-18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.03 MYR 4.07

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.13 MYR 4.45

-19.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.46 MYR 1.81

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$20.31 MYR 80.2

-4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$4.22 MYR 16.68

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$5.39 MYR 21.29

-37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.70 MYR 2.76

-34.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.56 MYR 45.68

51.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.21 MYR 4.77

-38.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.11 MYR 4.37

-52.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$4.24 MYR 16.76

63.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.96

-8.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

-23.44%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

-11.81%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$73.1 MYR 289

-46.19%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.97 MYR 39.38

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$28.42 MYR 112

9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$37.18 MYR 147

-10.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$6.03 MYR 23.83

-10.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$5.61 MYR 22.16

-14.26%

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

$240 MYR 947

$116 MYR 456

107.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

40.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$111 MYR 438

-50.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$27.36 MYR 108

6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$74.2 MYR 293

-18.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$79.6 MYR 314

-33.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$393 MYR 1,551

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$272 MYR 1,073

-16.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$654 MYR 2,583

-2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$471 MYR 1,861

11.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,799 MYR 7,107

28.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$881 MYR 3,481

35.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang versus $393 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 $21.00 in Penang versus $14.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $273 – 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 11%, 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 $1,294 per month in Penang and $1,431 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 $21.00 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 $862 in Penang and $954 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 $862, than in Kemaman at $954. 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.