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: $869 in Penang versus $919 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Penang versus $1,411 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,901 in Penang versus $1,902 in Labuan.

Living in Penang costs roughly 5% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 35% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$5.23 MYR 21.21

-41.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$23.49 MYR 95.3

-8.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$6.41 MYR 26.00

-32.45%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$3.75 MYR 15.20

-21.60%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.03 MYR 4.19

-33.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.43 MYR 1.73

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$3.45 MYR 14.01

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$4.81 MYR 19.50

-7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.62 MYR 6.56

11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.93 MYR 3.78

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.25 MYR 5.05

62.40%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.06 MYR 8.33

3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$15.16 MYR 61.5

14.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.41 MYR 17.87

18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$9.56 MYR 38.75

57.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.89 MYR 11.71

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.45 MYR 5.86

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.59 MYR 10.49

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.38 MYR 5.60

52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.23 MYR 4.97

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.33 MYR 5.40

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.05 MYR 4.24

-9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.52 MYR 2.09

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.26 MYR 17.28

2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$18.78 MYR 76.2

4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$2.97 MYR 12.03

14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.73 MYR 2.97

-38.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.84 MYR 48.02

46.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-42.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.03 MYR 4.19

-47.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$5.91 MYR 23.98

21.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-6.00%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$35.7K MYR 144.6K

-7.70%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

-13.12%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$43.07 MYR 175

-10.38%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.16 MYR 37.16

9.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$28.91 MYR 117

8.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$37.49 MYR 152

-11.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.79 MYR 23.47

-6.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.98 MYR 20.20

-1.41%

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

$238 MYR 963

$186 MYR 754

27.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$7,044 MYR 28.6K

-12.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$59.8 MYR 242

-8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$27.77 MYR 113

2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$74.0 MYR 300

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$50.9 MYR 206

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$381 MYR 1,544

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$265 MYR 1,074

-13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$637 MYR 2,582

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$481 MYR 1,949

9.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$2,009 MYR 8,147

11.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$967 MYR 3,922

22.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$365 MYR 1,481

160.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Labuan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Penang and $381 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 161% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $23.00 in Labuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $249, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 161% 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: $387 in Penang versus $381 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Penang versus $186 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Labuan pay roughly 15% 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 6% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.