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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Penang vs $965 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,413 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,861 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 35% lower, Kemaman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$2.61 MYR 10.64

18.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$14.15 MYR 57.8

52.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$3.67 MYR 15.00

13.08%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.33 MYR 9.51

27.47%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.46 MYR 1.86

60.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.34 MYR 1.39

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$4.32 MYR 17.64

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$5.46 MYR 22.29

-18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.82 MYR 7.44

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.97 MYR 3.98

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$0.91 MYR 3.73

126.37%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$1.15 MYR 4.71

84.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$13.96 MYR 57.0

21.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$3.75 MYR 15.33

38.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$9.68 MYR 39.53

54.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$4.01 MYR 16.37

-27.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$3.35 MYR 13.67

-20.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$2.61 MYR 10.66

-19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.75 MYR 7.13

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.99 MYR 4.06

21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.46 MYR 1.87

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$4.14 MYR 16.90

1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$19.53 MYR 79.8

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-38.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$5.48 MYR 22.38

-37.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.69 MYR 2.83

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$11.61 MYR 47.40

52.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-38.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-53.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.19

$4.35 MYR 17.75

58.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

-20.62%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

-13.40%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$73.8 MYR 301

-47.09%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$9.71 MYR 39.65

4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$28.92 MYR 118

8.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$36.88 MYR 151

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$5.82 MYR 23.78

-4.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$5.51 MYR 22.48

-12.70%

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

$240 MYR 978

$120 MYR 490

99.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

43.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$108 MYR 440

-48.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$27.82 MYR 114

5.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$74.5 MYR 304

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$78.9 MYR 322

-33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$380 MYR 1,553

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$264 MYR 1,080

-14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$651 MYR 2,658

-2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$470 MYR 1,918

11.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,997

$2,013 MYR 8,220

9.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,152 MYR 4,705

0.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $380 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: $286 vs $272 – 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 $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,448 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 $867 in Penang and $965 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 $867 in Penang and $965 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.