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: $862 in Penang versus $893 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,380 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,868 in Labuan.

Living in Penang costs roughly 3% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Labuan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$5.18 MYR 20.48

-40.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$23.52 MYR 92.9

-10.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$6.35 MYR 25.08

-35.12%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$3.65 MYR 14.42

-21.10%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$1.04 MYR 4.09

-32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.45 MYR 13.62

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$4.89 MYR 19.32

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.61 MYR 6.37

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$0.96 MYR 3.78

7.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.25 MYR 4.95

59.20%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.03 MYR 8.03

0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$15.01 MYR 59.3

15.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.30 MYR 16.99

15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$9.28 MYR 36.67

61.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.85 MYR 11.27

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.52 MYR 6.01

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.54 MYR 10.03

3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.42 MYR 5.61

47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.23 MYR 4.84

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.31 MYR 5.18

-10.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.04 MYR 4.10

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.55 MYR 2.19

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.32 MYR 17.05

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.87 MYR 11.35

-4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.87 MYR 11.33

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.73 MYR 2.89

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.97 MYR 47.29

46.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$5.77 MYR 22.80

20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.46 MYR 1.83

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

-6.61%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$31.7K MYR 125.2K

-11.87%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$43.85 MYR 173

-10.35%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$8.89 MYR 35.12

15.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$29.14 MYR 115

6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$36.62 MYR 145

-9.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.80 MYR 22.90

-7.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.94 MYR 19.50

-2.63%

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

$240 MYR 947

$188 MYR 743

27.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$7,026 MYR 27.8K

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$59.9 MYR 237

-9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$27.76 MYR 110

4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$73.2 MYR 289

-17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$51.4 MYR 203

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$385 MYR 1,522

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$266 MYR 1,051

-14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

-0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$474 MYR 1,871

11.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,551 MYR 6,126

49.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$776 MYR 3,065

54.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$376 MYR 1,484

157.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.07

2.21%

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

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Labuan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $385 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 158% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $24.00 in Labuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $250, with Labuan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 158% more on average, 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: $381 in Penang versus $385 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Penang versus $188 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Labuan pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 4% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.