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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $837 per month in Penang vs $595 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,307 per month in Penang vs $952 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Penang vs $1,308 in Malacca, rent included.

Penang costs about 41% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Penang and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Penang 39% lower, Malacca 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.24

$3.26 MYR 13.33

14.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 MYR 80.9

$21.58 MYR 88.3

-8.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$5.00 MYR 20.45

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.98 MYR 12.21

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.79 MYR 3.24

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$1.93 MYR 7.91

122.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.53

$3.03 MYR 12.39

49.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.37

$1.70 MYR 6.96

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.05

$1.45 MYR 5.94

18.62%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$1.66 MYR 6.78

28.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MYR 53.5

$18.34 MYR 75.1

-28.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.68

$4.49 MYR 18.38

-3.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 MYR 34.87

$10.89 MYR 44.56

-21.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$3.40 MYR 13.93

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.49 MYR 10.19

3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.63 MYR 6.68

-10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$1.41 MYR 5.79

-21.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.72 MYR 7.03

-32.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.55 MYR 2.27

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MYR 19.38

$4.35 MYR 17.81

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$14.05 MYR 57.5

35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.34

$2.19 MYR 8.96

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.29

$3.09 MYR 12.65

28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-1.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.18 MYR 49.85

$12.41 MYR 50.8

-1.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.09

$1.49 MYR 6.08

16.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.71 MYR 2.92

-46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 MYR 30.55

$12.24 MYR 50.1

-39.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.48 MYR 1.96

81.25%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

$41.2K MYR 168.8K

1.70%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$36.2K MYR 148.1K

-3.64%

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$53.5 MYR 219

-31.50%

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

$9.91 MYR 40.57

$11.00 MYR 45.03

-9.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.71 MYR 122

$29.25 MYR 120

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 MYR 160

$22.55 MYR 92.3

73.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 MYR 19.71

$11.60 MYR 47.49

-58.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.37

$5.02 MYR 20.53

3.98%

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

$432 MYR 1,768

$166 MYR 679

160.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

$4,526 MYR 18.5K

134.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 243

$66.0 MYR 270

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 147

$16.61 MYR 68.0

116.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 340

$80.6 MYR 330

3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$40.95 MYR 168

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,675

$196 MYR 802

108.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 934

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 MYR 2,387

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 MYR 1,694

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 MYR 9,187

$1,188 MYR 4,862

88.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 MYR 4,331

$796 MYR 3,257

32.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,740

$422 MYR 1,728

116.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.06

4.43%

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

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malacca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Penang versus $196 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 116% 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 $20.00 in Penang versus $22.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $261 – making Penang 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: $837 in Penang, $595 in Malacca – roughly 41% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Penang and $892 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 $20.00 in Penang and $22.00 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 $837 in Penang and $595 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 $837 in Penang and $595 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 $595 in Malacca to $837 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.