Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Labuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Labuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $837 in Penang versus $976 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $1,496 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Penang versus $2,016 in Labuan.

Living in Penang costs roughly 14% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Labuan 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.19

$5.49 MYR 22.41

-32.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.7

$25.04 MYR 102

-21.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.66

$6.84 MYR 27.92

-33.19%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.14

$3.99 MYR 16.28

-25.31%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.42 MYR 1.69

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$4.11 MYR 16.77

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.47

$3.77 MYR 15.37

20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.35

$1.77 MYR 7.23

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.02

$1.43 MYR 5.84

20.28%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$1.91 MYR 7.78

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.3

$16.99 MYR 69.3

-23.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.62

$4.54 MYR 18.50

-4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.76

$9.91 MYR 40.43

-14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.95

$3.11 MYR 12.71

-5.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.76

$1.84 MYR 7.49

-9.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.48

$2.38 MYR 9.71

7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.39 MYR 5.66

5.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$1.34 MYR 5.48

-17.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.53 MYR 2.15

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.32

$4.65 MYR 18.98

1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$21.54 MYR 87.9

-11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$2.53 MYR 10.32

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.23

$3.39 MYR 13.81

17.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.84 MYR 3.45

-40.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.69

$13.20 MYR 53.9

-7.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$1.41 MYR 5.77

22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.50 MYR 2.02

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.45

$7.83 MYR 31.96

-4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.56

$0.78 MYR 3.18

11.54%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

$43.6K MYR 178.0K

-3.85%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.2K

$31.3K MYR 127.5K

11.53%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$50.1 MYR 204

-26.88%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.44

$9.61 MYR 39.18

3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 121

$28.20 MYR 115

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$43.96 MYR 179

-11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.65

$6.76 MYR 27.58

-28.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.29

$4.46 MYR 18.21

17.04%

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

$432 MYR 1,762

$194 MYR 790

123.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

$4,758 MYR 19.4K

122.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$60.6 MYR 247

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 146

$34.51 MYR 141

4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 339

$80.3 MYR 328

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 291

$72.1 MYR 294

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,669

$452 MYR 1,845

-9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 931

$311 MYR 1,270

-26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,379

$701 MYR 2,858

-16.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,689

$521 MYR 2,124

-20.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,156

$1,900 MYR 7,751

18.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,317

$1,043 MYR 4,255

1.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,728

$375 MYR 1,531

143.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.2

0.95%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Labuan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $452 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $25.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $268 per month, with Penang cheaper across the board.

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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Penang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Penang versus $452 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $432 in Penang versus $194 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Labuan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $837 in Penang versus $976 in Labuan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Labuan. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Labuan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang and Labuan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.