Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kulim Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kulim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $854 per month in Penang vs $974 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,396 per month in Penang vs $1,486 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,938 per month in Penang vs $1,999 in Kulim, rent included.

Penang is about 12% cheaper than Kulim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Penang and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 MYR 11.97

$2.63 MYR 10.39

15.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.23 MYR 83.9

$23.24 MYR 91.8

-8.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.28

$3.78 MYR 14.95

8.99%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.64

$2.22 MYR 8.77

32.88%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.78 MYR 3.08

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.33

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 MYR 17.63

$4.27 MYR 16.86

4.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 17.87

$5.46 MYR 21.55

-17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.08 MYR 4.27

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 7.99

$1.44 MYR 5.70

40.28%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$1.85 MYR 7.31

14.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 MYR 67.1

$22.34 MYR 88.2

-23.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 MYR 20.41

$4.79 MYR 18.93

7.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MYR 57.7

$10.47 MYR 41.37

39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.56

$3.97 MYR 15.70

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.73

$1.70 MYR 6.70

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.57

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-18.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 MYR 8.61

$2.57 MYR 10.13

-15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$1.76 MYR 6.96

-34.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.03 MYR 4.08

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-13.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.35

$4.17 MYR 16.45

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 MYR 76.7

$21.07 MYR 83.2

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.40

$4.26 MYR 16.84

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$5.35 MYR 21.14

-34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.50 MYR 1.96

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.59 MYR 69.5

$11.99 MYR 47.36

46.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$1.20 MYR 4.74

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$0.98 MYR 3.89

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 MYR 28.74

$4.35 MYR 17.19

67.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.46 MYR 1.83

6.52%

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

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$44.3K MYR 175.0K

-23.85%

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

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

$31.3K MYR 123.6K

-12.06%

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

$38.68 MYR 153

$74.7 MYR 295

-48.21%

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

$10.06 MYR 39.73

$9.62 MYR 37.99

4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.12 MYR 123

$28.70 MYR 113

8.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.54 MYR 129

$37.19 MYR 147

-12.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 MYR 22.32

$5.88 MYR 23.21

-3.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 19.89

$5.63 MYR 22.23

-10.48%

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

$236 MYR 931

$118 MYR 467

99.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

43.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$110 MYR 434

-50.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MYR 115

$26.82 MYR 106

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 MYR 247

$74.1 MYR 293

-15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 MYR 210

$80.1 MYR 316

-33.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$390 MYR 1,541

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 890

$266 MYR 1,052

-15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,539

$642 MYR 2,537

0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,036

$480 MYR 1,896

7.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 MYR 9,095

$1,919 MYR 7,579

20.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 MYR 4,709

$892 MYR 3,522

33.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 MYR 3,792

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kulim: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang versus $390 in Kulim. 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 $21 in Penang versus $23 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $314 – making Penang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kulim costs about 14% more than Penang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,281 per month in Penang and $1,460 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Kulim, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Penang and $23.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Kulim at $974. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kulim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Penang costs $854 versus $974 in Kulim. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kulim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.