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: $859 in Penang versus $937 in Kota Kinabalu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Penang versus $1,460 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Penang versus $1,983 in Kota Kinabalu.

Living in Penang costs roughly 8% less than in Kota Kinabalu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Kota Kinabalu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.15

$3.64 MYR 14.72

3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.0

$20.15 MYR 81.5

-3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.22

$5.03 MYR 20.35

-5.57%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.41

$2.76 MYR 11.16

11.23%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.56 MYR 2.25

30.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.33 MYR 1.35

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.85

$2.50 MYR 10.10

66.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MYR 17.84

$3.67 MYR 14.85

20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.35

$1.84 MYR 7.46

-1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.27

$1.36 MYR 5.49

-22.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.28

$2.31 MYR 9.34

-22.08%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.92

$3.60 MYR 14.56

-38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 MYR 53.7

$28.42 MYR 115

-53.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 MYR 18.31

$3.63 MYR 14.69

24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 MYR 35.80

$6.78 MYR 27.42

30.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.81

$2.29 MYR 9.25

27.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.83

$1.39 MYR 5.61

21.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.49

$1.93 MYR 7.81

34.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$2.03 MYR 8.19

-27.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$1.78 MYR 7.18

-39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.48

$2.16 MYR 8.72

-48.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.04 MYR 4.19

6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.17

$0.44 MYR 1.77

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.37

$4.78 MYR 19.31

-5.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.01 MYR 76.9

$16.33 MYR 66.0

16.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.18

$3.69 MYR 14.91

-18.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.68

$2.53 MYR 10.21

63.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$1.95 MYR 7.90

-75.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.59 MYR 50.9

$42.28 MYR 171

-70.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.95 MYR 7.89

-9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.24 MYR 0.97

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 MYR 30.67

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.53

$0.70 MYR 2.83

24.29%

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

$43.1K MYR 174.1K

$41.7K MYR 168.8K

3.18%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.6K

$35.6K MYR 143.8K

-2.25%

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

$38.08 MYR 154

$68.8 MYR 278

-44.61%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.66

$9.77 MYR 39.48

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MYR 119

$32.19 MYR 130

-8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 MYR 157

$52.7 MYR 213

-26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 MYR 19.80

$3.06 MYR 12.37

60.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.62

$5.41 MYR 21.86

-5.73%

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

$438 MYR 1,770

$144 MYR 581

204.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$7,144 MYR 28.9K

49.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 248

$84.5 MYR 342

-27.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 145

$37.58 MYR 152

-4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 MYR 344

$94.5 MYR 382

-9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MYR 281

$48.80 MYR 197

42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,654

$429 MYR 1,733

-4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 959

$195 MYR 788

21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MYR 2,316

$680 MYR 2,750

-15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,692

$378 MYR 1,529

10.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,246 MYR 9,081

$1,845 MYR 7,458

21.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 MYR 4,369

$1,092 MYR 4,417

-1.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 MYR 3,750

$582 MYR 2,354

59.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

3.9

8.72%

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

Last update for Penang: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $429 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $20.00 in Kota Kinabalu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $292 per month, with Penang 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

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Kota Kinabalu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $409 in Penang versus $429 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 236% less than in Kota Kinabalu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $438 in Penang versus $144 in Kota Kinabalu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $859 in Penang versus $937 in Kota Kinabalu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Kota Kinabalu. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $859 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Kota Kinabalu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.