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: $837 in Penang versus $1,023 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $1,498 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Penang versus $1,972 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Penang costs roughly 18% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Lumut, Perak 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.24

$3.73 MYR 15.26

-0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.9

$12.38 MYR 50.7

59.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$5.04 MYR 20.64

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.95 MYR 12.06

1.02%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.86 MYR 3.53

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.36 MYR 1.46

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$3.77 MYR 15.44

14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.53

$6.29 MYR 25.73

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.37

$2.13 MYR 8.70

-15.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.06 MYR 4.34

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.05

$2.03 MYR 8.32

-15.27%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$2.46 MYR 10.09

-13.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.5

$15.39 MYR 63.0

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.68

$4.91 MYR 20.09

-12.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.87

$9.83 MYR 40.22

-13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$3.50 MYR 14.33

-16.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.90 MYR 7.79

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.37 MYR 9.69

8.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.59 MYR 6.51

-8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$1.32 MYR 5.42

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.42 MYR 5.83

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.70 MYR 2.85

-22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.38

$4.30 MYR 17.61

10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$18.94 MYR 77.5

0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.34

$3.54 MYR 14.47

-14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.29

$4.93 MYR 20.16

-19.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.71 MYR 2.92

-29.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.85

$12.94 MYR 53.0

-5.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.09

$1.21 MYR 4.93

42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.48 MYR 1.97

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.55

$4.99 MYR 20.41

49.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.75 MYR 3.08

16.00%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

$41.9K MYR 171.4K

0.18%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-0.90%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$65.0 MYR 266

-43.64%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.57

$9.05 MYR 37.02

9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 122

$26.38 MYR 108

12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$37.91 MYR 155

3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.71

$6.65 MYR 27.22

-27.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.37

$5.46 MYR 22.35

-4.40%

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

$432 MYR 1,768

$298 MYR 1,221

44.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

$4,907 MYR 20.1K

116.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 243

$71.8 MYR 294

-17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$42.71 MYR 175

-15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 340

$88.6 MYR 363

-6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$99.1 MYR 406

-27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,675

$423 MYR 1,732

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

$315 MYR 1,289

-27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

$689 MYR 2,818

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

$495 MYR 2,026

-16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,187

$2,117 MYR 8,666

6.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,331

$958 MYR 3,922

10.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

$380 MYR 1,554

140.71%

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 Lumut, Perak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $423 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 141% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $282, with Penang 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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 22% 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.

Average pay runs 141% 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 $423 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 $20.00 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 $837 per month in Penang versus $1,023 in Lumut, Perak – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $837 in Penang versus $1,023 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 $837 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 22% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.