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: $869 in Penang versus $928 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Penang versus $1,381 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,901 in Penang versus $1,835 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Penang costs roughly 6% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 35% lower, Lumut, Perak 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.62 MYR 14.67

-16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$11.71 MYR 47.48

84.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.62 MYR 18.74

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.76 MYR 11.21

6.52%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.34 MYR 1.37

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$3.61 MYR 14.62

21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$5.78 MYR 23.46

-22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$2.00 MYR 8.13

-9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.06 MYR 4.29

-6.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.72 MYR 6.98

18.02%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$2.28 MYR 9.23

-6.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$14.37 MYR 58.3

20.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.57 MYR 18.54

14.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$9.46 MYR 38.36

59.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$2.90 MYR 11.78

-1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.56 MYR 6.33

-5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.69 MYR 10.92

-4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$1.52 MYR 6.17

38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.27 MYR 5.17

-7.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.33 MYR 5.40

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.17 MYR 4.75

-18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.62 MYR 2.51

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.14 MYR 16.78

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$19.05 MYR 77.3

3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$3.35 MYR 13.59

-21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$4.20 MYR 17.04

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.74 MYR 2.98

-39.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.99 MYR 48.62

45.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.14 MYR 4.64

-52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$4.84 MYR 19.61

48.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.51 MYR 2.06

-7.84%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$40.4K MYR 163.7K

-18.46%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$32.5K MYR 131.8K

-16.08%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$64.4 MYR 261

-40.07%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$11.27 MYR 45.71

-10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$26.07 MYR 106

20.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$36.58 MYR 148

-9.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$5.77 MYR 23.40

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$5.30 MYR 21.50

-7.36%

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

$238 MYR 963

$268 MYR 1,087

-11.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$9,459 MYR 38.4K

-34.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$60.2 MYR 244

-9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$36.78 MYR 149

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$86.6 MYR 351

-30.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$81.3 MYR 330

-34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$390 MYR 1,580

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$274 MYR 1,112

-16.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$646 MYR 2,619

-0.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$470 MYR 1,906

11.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,878 MYR 7,613

19.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$875 MYR 3,547

35.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$383 MYR 1,553

148.46%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Penang and $390 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 148% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 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 7% 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 148% 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 $390 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 $22.00 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 $869 per month in Penang versus $928 in Lumut, Perak – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Penang versus $928 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 $869 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 7% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.