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: $849 in Penang versus $848 in Kota Kinabalu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Penang versus $1,331 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,863 in Penang versus $1,814 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs are close between Penang and Kota Kinabalu; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Kota Kinabalu 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.85

$3.52 MYR 14.41

-10.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.56 MYR 88.2

$18.53 MYR 75.8

16.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$4.62 MYR 18.88

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$2.70 MYR 11.04

9.26%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.65 MYR 2.64

6.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$2.40 MYR 9.80

82.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.59

$3.53 MYR 14.42

28.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$1.76 MYR 7.19

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.21 MYR 4.95

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 8.00

$1.75 MYR 7.17

12.00%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-26.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 MYR 70.7

$26.05 MYR 107

-33.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MYR 21.41

$3.61 MYR 14.77

44.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$7.06 MYR 28.87

109.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.40

$2.52 MYR 10.29

10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.16 MYR 4.76

25.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.69

$3.20 MYR 13.07

-18.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.98 MYR 8.10

6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.51 MYR 6.17

-21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-34.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.13 MYR 4.63

-19.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.58

$4.17 MYR 17.07

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$15.66 MYR 64.0

23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$1.92 MYR 7.84

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$1.62 MYR 6.62

110.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$1.56 MYR 6.36

-70.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.34 MYR 70.9

$40.74 MYR 167

-57.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-63.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.47 MYR 1.90

12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.19

$5.77 MYR 23.61

19.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$29.4K MYR 120.0K

12.40%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

0.16%

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

$38.52 MYR 158

$52.5 MYR 215

-26.57%

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

$10.16 MYR 41.54

$9.29 MYR 38.00

9.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.68 MYR 130

$33.03 MYR 135

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 MYR 133

$43.88 MYR 179

-26.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.57 MYR 22.80

$2.99 MYR 12.22

86.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$4.56 MYR 18.63

7.24%

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

$238 MYR 973

$128 MYR 525

85.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

$4,486 MYR 18.3K

40.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 MYR 222

$59.4 MYR 243

-8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 120

$23.13 MYR 94.6

26.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 253

$70.8 MYR 290

-12.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 215

$93.8 MYR 384

-43.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$378 MYR 1,546

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 910

$168 MYR 687

32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,620

$650 MYR 2,658

-1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,111

$362 MYR 1,483

42.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MYR 9,183

$1,793 MYR 7,334

25.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 MYR 4,779

$1,086 MYR 4,440

7.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 MYR 3,765

$595 MYR 2,432

54.84%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Penang and $378 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 55% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $270 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

Average pay runs 55% higher in Penang, 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: $380 in Penang versus $378 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Penang versus $128 in Kota Kinabalu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota Kinabalu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kota Kinabalu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $848 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kota Kinabalu wins on affordability, Penang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.