Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Malacca Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Malacca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $862 per month in Penang vs $762 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Penang vs $1,165 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Penang vs $1,568 in Malacca, rent included.

Penang costs about 13% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Penang 36% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.57 MYR 14.11

-13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$18.93 MYR 74.8

11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.73 MYR 18.69

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.86 MYR 11.28

0.70%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.80 MYR 3.15

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.48 MYR 1.90

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$2.17 MYR 8.58

98.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$3.22 MYR 12.72

37.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.44 MYR 5.70

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.00 MYR 3.93

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.29 MYR 5.08

54.26%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.80 MYR 7.10

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$15.58 MYR 61.5

11.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$5.03 MYR 19.85

-1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$11.40 MYR 45.04

31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$3.58 MYR 14.14

-19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.66 MYR 10.49

-1.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$2.02 MYR 7.98

3.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.46 MYR 5.75

-19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.82 MYR 7.18

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.26 MYR 4.99

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.55 MYR 2.19

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.32 MYR 17.07

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$14.35 MYR 56.7

35.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.00 MYR 7.90

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.98 MYR 11.78

13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.48 MYR 1.90

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.90 MYR 47.00

47.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.42 MYR 5.62

-47.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-46.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$5.91 MYR 23.36

17.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.47 MYR 1.85

-2.13%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$34.7K MYR 137.0K

-3.41%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$39.0K MYR 154.2K

-28.46%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$44.96 MYR 178

-12.57%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$8.97 MYR 35.45

14.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$31.14 MYR 123

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$16.33 MYR 64.5

103.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$11.70 MYR 46.20

-53.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$4.98 MYR 19.67

-3.41%

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

$240 MYR 947

$190 MYR 749

26.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$6,904 MYR 27.3K

-10.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$65.1 MYR 257

-16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$18.55 MYR 73.3

56.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$72.5 MYR 286

-16.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$40.69 MYR 161

29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$331 MYR 1,306

15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$185 MYR 733

22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$705 MYR 2,786

-9.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$285 MYR 1,124

84.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,216 MYR 4,803

90.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$811 MYR 3,202

47.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$954 MYR 3,766

1.53%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malacca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Penang versus $331 in Malacca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Penang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $255 – making Malacca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $862 in Penang, $762 in Malacca – roughly 13% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,294 per month in Penang and $1,143 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Penang and $19.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $862 in Penang and $762 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $862 in Penang and $762 in Malacca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $762 in Malacca to $862 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.