Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kota Kinabalu Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kota Kinabalu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Penang versus $840 in Kota Kinabalu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Penang versus $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Penang versus $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu.

Living in Penang is roughly 1% more expensive than Kota Kinabalu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Kota Kinabalu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.34

$3.50 MYR 13.89

-11.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 82.7

$19.05 MYR 75.6

9.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.67 MYR 18.53

-11.35%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.60 MYR 10.32

8.85%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.69 MYR 2.72

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.37 MYR 1.46

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.40

$2.38 MYR 9.45

84.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.63

$3.51 MYR 13.91

26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.68 MYR 6.66

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.24 MYR 4.91

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.78

$1.70 MYR 6.72

15.29%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$2.89 MYR 11.47

-25.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 67.8

$25.74 MYR 102

-33.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.11

$3.44 MYR 13.65

47.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 57.5

$7.43 MYR 29.45

95.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.00

$2.56 MYR 10.16

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.16 MYR 4.62

31.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.30

$3.14 MYR 12.46

-17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.42

$1.91 MYR 7.58

10.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.52 MYR 6.02

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.71 MYR 6.79

-29.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.78

$1.13 MYR 4.49

-15.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.47 MYR 1.88

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.41

$4.23 MYR 16.79

-2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 78.5

$16.30 MYR 64.6

21.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.31

$1.85 MYR 7.35

40.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.94

$1.61 MYR 6.37

118.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$1.51 MYR 6.00

-69.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 71.4

$41.03 MYR 163

-56.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$1.90 MYR 7.54

-64.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$0.46 MYR 1.84

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 27.68

$5.75 MYR 22.80

21.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.46 MYR 1.82

8.70%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

14.99%

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

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

-0.66%

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

$39.05 MYR 155

$51.6 MYR 205

-24.38%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.09

$9.22 MYR 36.55

9.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 123

$32.25 MYR 128

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 128

$43.54 MYR 173

-26.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.44

$2.99 MYR 11.87

80.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.49

$4.73 MYR 18.76

4.02%

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

$240 MYR 950

$132 MYR 523

81.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

35.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 220

$60.6 MYR 240

-8.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 115

$22.99 MYR 91.2

26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 241

$71.4 MYR 283

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 206

$94.5 MYR 375

-44.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,539

$372 MYR 1,473

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 909

$168 MYR 667

36.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,530

$641 MYR 2,540

-0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,034

$368 MYR 1,461

39.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,190

$1,889 MYR 7,492

22.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,678

$1,133 MYR 4,492

4.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,762

$598 MYR 2,370

58.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.8

9.47%

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

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Penang and $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 59% 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 Kota Kinabalu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $269 per month, with Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Penang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Penang pays 59% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $388 in Penang versus $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 128% less than in Penang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $240 in Penang versus $132 in Kota Kinabalu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Penang and Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.