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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $981 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,514 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $2,048 in Kulim, rent included.

Penang is about 11% cheaper than Kulim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Penang and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.35

$2.54 MYR 10.31

19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.6

$23.96 MYR 97.2

-9.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.59

$3.82 MYR 15.52

13.35%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.91

$2.26 MYR 9.17

30.09%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.74 MYR 3.00

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.36 MYR 1.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.86

$4.33 MYR 17.58

1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.11

$5.27 MYR 21.37

-15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.33

$1.91 MYR 7.77

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.22

$1.43 MYR 5.81

41.96%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.66

$1.85 MYR 7.50

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$22.18 MYR 90.0

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.14

$4.97 MYR 20.17

4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.2

$10.66 MYR 43.25

41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$3.84 MYR 15.59

-25.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.70 MYR 6.89

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$3.41 MYR 13.86

-24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.05 MYR 4.25

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.07 MYR 4.34

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.55 MYR 2.24

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.69

$4.15 MYR 16.84

5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.7

$17.62 MYR 71.5

11.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.62

$4.20 MYR 17.04

-37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.81

$5.38 MYR 21.84

-36.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.77 MYR 47.75

47.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$1.21 MYR 4.90

-42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.03 MYR 4.16

-47.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.21

$4.39 MYR 17.80

64.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-6.00%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.6K

$44.1K MYR 179.0K

-25.36%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$31.6K MYR 128.2K

-13.69%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$73.0 MYR 296

-47.11%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.82

$9.90 MYR 40.18

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 128

$28.12 MYR 114

11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$36.80 MYR 149

-10.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.99

$5.71 MYR 23.19

-5.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.91

$5.61 MYR 22.76

-12.48%

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

$238 MYR 964

$117 MYR 476

102.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.2K

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

42.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 222

$112 MYR 453

-51.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$27.79 MYR 113

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$74.1 MYR 301

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$79.0 MYR 321

-32.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,570

$383 MYR 1,556

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 934

$266 MYR 1,079

-13.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,599

$638 MYR 2,587

0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,132

$474 MYR 1,924

10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,130

$2,197 MYR 8,917

2.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,811

$972 MYR 3,946

21.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,860

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 Kulim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $383 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $24.00 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $308 – 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 13% 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 $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,471 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 7% 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 $22.00 in Penang and $24.00 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 $869, than in Kulim at $981. 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 $869 versus $981 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.