Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kuala Lipis

For one person, living costs are similar in Penang and in Kuala Lipis: $913 and $897 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Kuala Lipis
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Kuala Lipis Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Kuala Lipis

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$897

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Kuala Lipis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Kuala Lipis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $913 per month in Penang vs $897 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Penang $913
Kuala Lipis $897

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Penang vs $1,420 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Penang $1,403
Kuala Lipis $1,420

A family of three spends $1,894 per month in Penang vs $1,944 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Penang $1,894
Kuala Lipis $1,944

Penang costs about 2% more than Kuala Lipis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Penang and Kuala Lipis are more affordable than the global median – Penang 33% lower, Kuala Lipis 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$3.59 MYR 14.62

3.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 81.1

$24.70 MYR 101

-19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$4.98 MYR 20.31

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-0.33%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.07

$0.85 MYR 3.48

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.55

$3.21 MYR 13.06

26.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.83

$5.63 MYR 22.94

-22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.95 MYR 7.96

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.08 MYR 4.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.47 MYR 6.00

19.73%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.04

$1.78 MYR 7.24

24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.9

$9.81 MYR 39.99

37.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.13

$3.17 MYR 12.92

40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.45

$9.58 MYR 39.01

-9.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.89

$3.59 MYR 14.64

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.72

$1.85 MYR 7.54

-10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.63

$2.75 MYR 11.22

-5.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.70

$1.83 MYR 7.46

-23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$2.16 MYR 8.80

-51.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.55

$2.05 MYR 8.36

-45.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$1.49 MYR 6.06

-26.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.52 MYR 2.11

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 19.09

$4.46 MYR 18.17

5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.7

$19.69 MYR 80.2

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.24

$2.71 MYR 11.04

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 22.04

$4.44 MYR 18.08

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.66 MYR 2.67

-24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 49.00

$13.50 MYR 55.0

-10.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.20 MYR 4.91

38.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.36 MYR 1.46

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.44

$8.79 MYR 35.81

-15.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.81 MYR 3.29

17.28%

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

$44.2K MYR 180.1K

$44.9K MYR 183.1K

-1.66%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.7K

$34.8K MYR 142.0K

2.62%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$49.77 MYR 203

-26.30%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.94

$8.30 MYR 33.81

15.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$27.35 MYR 111

7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 160

$40.93 MYR 167

-4.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.78

$7.48 MYR 30.46

-35.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.47

$4.88 MYR 19.88

-2.05%

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

$398 MYR 1,620

$276 MYR 1,125

44.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$10.3K MYR 42.0K

2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 248

$51.6 MYR 210

18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$29.76 MYR 121

19.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 340

$77.7 MYR 317

7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 286

$86.8 MYR 354

-19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,662

$385 MYR 1,571

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,170

$268 MYR 1,092

7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,842

$693 MYR 2,824

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,176

$558 MYR 2,272

-4.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,624

$2,178 MYR 8,872

-2.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,137

$1,305 MYR 5,315

-3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,795

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.51

-10.42%

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Kuala Lipis

$268 29.9% 6.7% $19

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Kuala Lipis

$251 28% 2.4% $6.3

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Kuala Lipis

$112 12.5% 1.3% $1.5

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Kuala Lipis

$111 12.3% 1.7% $1.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Kuala Lipis

$85 9.5% 12.8% $9.7

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Kuala Lipis

$51 5.7% 4% $1.9

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Kuala Lipis

$19 2.1% 8.8% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Penang versus $385 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Penang versus $25 in Kuala Lipis. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Penang vs $251 in Kuala Lipis – so Kuala Lipis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Kuala Lipis

🕒 Local time

03:03 3:03 AM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

20,000

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Penang Kuala Lipis 240 km

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Penang
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Penang and $1,345 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $408 in Penang and $385 in Kuala Lipis. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $913 in Penang and $897 in Kuala Lipis. That’s a gap of about 2%.

Kindergarten costs $398 per month in Penang and $276 in Kuala Lipis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.