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 $867 per month in Penang vs $860 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,322 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,785 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Penang costs about 1% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.58

$2.55 MYR 10.44

20.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.4

$23.67 MYR 96.8

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$3.68 MYR 15.05

12.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.13

$1.69 MYR 6.89

75.74%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.36 MYR 1.48

105.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.36 MYR 1.48

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.52

$4.12 MYR 16.85

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.20

$5.32 MYR 21.73

-16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.33 MYR 5.43

41.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.61 MYR 2.50

68.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$0.68 MYR 2.80

202.94%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$1.44 MYR 5.89

47.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.5

$22.21 MYR 90.8

-23.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.20

$2.65 MYR 10.81

95.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 61.0

$7.41 MYR 30.28

101.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.89

$4.02 MYR 16.41

-27.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.69 MYR 6.90

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.89

$3.46 MYR 14.14

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.60

$2.53 MYR 10.33

-17.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.75 MYR 7.14

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.72 MYR 2.95

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.08 MYR 4.43

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.45 MYR 1.84

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.13

$4.15 MYR 16.96

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.8

$19.40 MYR 79.3

-0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$4.35 MYR 17.76

-39.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$5.61 MYR 22.92

-39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.69 MYR 2.82

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.6

$11.95 MYR 48.84

48.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$1.11 MYR 4.53

-54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.21

$4.31 MYR 17.62

60.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

$43.0K MYR 175.7K

-20.76%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

$13.2K MYR 54.0K

106.96%

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

$39.05 MYR 160

$28.16 MYR 115

38.67%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.58

$10.00 MYR 40.87

1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$20.71 MYR 84.6

52.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$36.38 MYR 149

-10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.61

$5.93 MYR 24.24

-6.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.64

$5.64 MYR 23.06

-14.72%

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

$240 MYR 979

$120 MYR 491

99.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

$4,274 MYR 17.5K

44.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$23.58 MYR 96.4

134.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$27.53 MYR 113

6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 250

$75.9 MYR 310

-19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$71.3 MYR 291

-26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,559

$392 MYR 1,602

-2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 921

$268 MYR 1,097

-16.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,598

$644 MYR 2,634

-1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,133

$474 MYR 1,935

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 9,004

$2,080 MYR 8,503

5.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,740

$1,130 MYR 4,618

2.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,849

$444 MYR 1,815

112.01%

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 Kuala Lipis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $392 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 112% 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 – $286 in Penang vs $275 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 1%, 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 $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,290 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 $867 in Penang and $860 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $867 in Penang and $860 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.