Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Lumut, Perak Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Lumut, Perak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Penang versus $935 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,414 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,894 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Penang costs roughly 8% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Lumut, Perak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-12.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$11.90 MYR 47.02

77.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.79 MYR 18.91

-13.99%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.77 MYR 10.94

3.97%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.84 MYR 3.34

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.67 MYR 14.49

17.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$5.79 MYR 22.88

-23.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.98 MYR 7.81

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.05 MYR 4.13

-1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.67 MYR 6.59

19.16%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.16 MYR 8.54

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$14.34 MYR 56.7

20.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.56 MYR 17.99

8.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$9.73 MYR 38.44

54.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.63 MYR 6.43

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.72 MYR 10.76

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.50 MYR 5.93

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.23 MYR 4.84

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.38 MYR 5.46

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.17 MYR 4.64

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.66 MYR 2.62

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.18 MYR 16.52

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$18.72 MYR 73.9

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$3.22 MYR 12.71

-14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$4.42 MYR 17.45

-23.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.74 MYR 2.92

-37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.95 MYR 47.21

46.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.16 MYR 4.60

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.14 MYR 4.50

-53.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$4.78 MYR 18.86

45.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.51 MYR 2.03

-9.80%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

-15.28%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

-12.90%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$63.3 MYR 250

-37.85%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$11.35 MYR 44.82

-9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$25.66 MYR 101

21.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$36.52 MYR 144

-8.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.97 MYR 23.57

-9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$5.24 MYR 20.71

-8.21%

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

$240 MYR 947

$269 MYR 1,061

-10.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

-35.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$61.5 MYR 243

-11.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$37.26 MYR 147

-21.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$86.2 MYR 340

-29.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$81.2 MYR 321

-35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$394 MYR 1,556

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$268 MYR 1,060

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$635 MYR 2,510

0.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$462 MYR 1,827

13.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,902 MYR 7,515

21.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$931 MYR 3,679

28.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$394 MYR 1,556

145.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.47

-6.94%

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

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 146% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $265 per month, with Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Lumut, Perak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Penang pays 146% 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 $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Penang versus $935 in Lumut, Perak – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $862 in Penang versus $935 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $862 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Penang and Lumut, Perak 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 8% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.