Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kuala Lipis Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kuala Lipis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $840 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,302 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,764 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Penang costs about 4% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Penang and Kuala Lipis are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Kuala Lipis 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$2.66 MYR 10.80

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$23.59 MYR 95.7

-8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$3.83 MYR 15.53

13.05%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$1.68 MYR 6.81

75.00%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.34 MYR 1.37

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.34 MYR 1.36

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$4.11 MYR 16.68

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$5.54 MYR 22.48

-19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.34 MYR 5.42

35.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.60 MYR 2.45

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$0.69 MYR 2.78

194.20%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.38 MYR 5.60

54.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$22.63 MYR 91.8

-23.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$2.52 MYR 10.21

106.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$7.33 MYR 29.72

105.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$4.02 MYR 16.32

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$3.43 MYR 13.93

-25.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$2.63 MYR 10.67

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.78 MYR 7.20

-33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$0.68 MYR 2.75

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.08 MYR 4.39

-12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.48 MYR 1.96

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.27 MYR 17.32

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$19.72 MYR 80.0

-0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$4.39 MYR 17.80

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$5.66 MYR 22.94

-39.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-39.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.83 MYR 47.97

47.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.21 MYR 4.90

-42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.09 MYR 4.41

-50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$4.40 MYR 17.84

63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.47 MYR 1.90

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$44.4K MYR 179.9K

-25.79%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$13.1K MYR 53.2K

107.86%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$28.23 MYR 114

36.73%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.94 MYR 40.32

1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$20.69 MYR 83.9

51.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$36.21 MYR 147

-8.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.97 MYR 24.21

-9.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$5.53 MYR 22.44

-11.21%

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

$238 MYR 963

$119 MYR 483

99.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$4,391 MYR 17.8K

41.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$23.46 MYR 95.1

132.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$27.35 MYR 111

3.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$76.4 MYR 310

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$70.1 MYR 284

-23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$380 MYR 1,541

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$270 MYR 1,096

-14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$656 MYR 2,660

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$473 MYR 1,916

11.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,956 MYR 7,933

14.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$978 MYR 3,964

21.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$438 MYR 1,776

117.19%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $380 in Kuala Lipis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 117% higher in Penang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Penang versus $24.00 in Kuala Lipis. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Penang vs $277 in Kuala Lipis – so Kuala Lipis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kuala Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Penang is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,260 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuala Lipis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Penang and $840 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Kuala Lipis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Penang and $840 in Kuala Lipis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lipis – 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 Kuala Lipis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.