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: $867 in Penang versus $899 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Penang versus $1,375 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Penang versus $1,850 in Labuan.

Living in Penang costs roughly 4% 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

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$5.39 MYR 22.01

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$23.31 MYR 95.2

-7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$6.61 MYR 26.98

-37.22%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$3.68 MYR 15.05

-19.29%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$1.03 MYR 4.21

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$3.51 MYR 14.34

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$4.94 MYR 20.17

-9.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.66 MYR 6.78

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.02 MYR 4.15

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.25 MYR 5.09

64.80%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$2.13 MYR 8.70

-0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$14.98 MYR 61.2

13.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.35 MYR 17.75

19.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$9.37 MYR 38.27

59.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.96 MYR 12.10

-1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.45 MYR 5.90

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.61 MYR 10.68

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$1.43 MYR 5.82

46.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.00 MYR 4.10

-11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.51 MYR 2.10

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$4.20 MYR 17.16

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$19.71 MYR 80.5

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-3.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$2.92 MYR 11.93

16.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.72 MYR 2.95

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$11.86 MYR 48.45

49.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-36.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-50.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.19

$6.02 MYR 24.58

14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.50 MYR 2.04

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$35.5K MYR 144.9K

-3.96%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

-11.78%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$44.40 MYR 181

-12.05%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$9.04 MYR 36.92

12.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$29.09 MYR 119

8.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$36.80 MYR 150

-11.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$5.87 MYR 23.97

-5.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$4.97 MYR 20.31

-3.22%

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

$240 MYR 978

$187 MYR 764

28.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$6,975 MYR 28.5K

-11.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$59.9 MYR 244

-7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$26.87 MYR 110

8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$71.7 MYR 293

-14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$51.3 MYR 210

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$385 MYR 1,573

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$272 MYR 1,110

-17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$654 MYR 2,672

-2.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$480 MYR 1,959

8.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,997

$2,233 MYR 9,117

-1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$1,011 MYR 4,128

14.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,846

$362 MYR 1,480

159.90%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Labuan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Penang and $385 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 160% 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 $286 vs $252, 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.

Average pay runs 160% 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: $382 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 $187 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.

At $867 in Penang versus $899 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 4% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.