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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Penang vs $764 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Penang vs $1,161 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,870 per month in Penang vs $1,558 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 35% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.58

$3.64 MYR 14.87

-15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.4

$18.74 MYR 76.6

15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$4.58 MYR 18.71

-9.39%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.13

$3.00 MYR 12.26

-1.00%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.83 MYR 3.41

-10.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.52

$2.09 MYR 8.56

105.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.20

$3.22 MYR 13.17

38.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.44 MYR 5.88

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$0.95 MYR 3.89

8.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$1.29 MYR 5.29

59.69%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.67

$1.83 MYR 7.47

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.5

$15.41 MYR 63.0

10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.20

$4.95 MYR 20.24

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 61.0

$11.54 MYR 47.18

29.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.89

$3.67 MYR 15.01

-20.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.48 MYR 6.03

-2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.89

$2.55 MYR 10.44

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.60

$2.03 MYR 8.30

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.53 MYR 6.27

-26.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.27 MYR 5.20

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.57 MYR 2.31

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.13

$4.29 MYR 17.52

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.8

$13.86 MYR 56.6

39.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$2.01 MYR 8.23

31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$2.90 MYR 11.86

17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.45 MYR 1.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.6

$11.61 MYR 47.47

52.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-48.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.21

$5.84 MYR 23.88

18.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

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

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

-4.42%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

$39.0K MYR 159.5K

-29.95%

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

$39.05 MYR 160

$46.10 MYR 188

-15.29%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.58

$9.29 MYR 37.99

9.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$30.58 MYR 125

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$16.75 MYR 68.5

93.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.61

$11.61 MYR 47.44

-52.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.64

$4.85 MYR 19.82

-0.82%

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

$240 MYR 979

$189 MYR 771

27.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

$6,912 MYR 28.2K

-10.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$64.4 MYR 263

-14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$18.96 MYR 77.5

54.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 250

$74.3 MYR 304

-17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$40.62 MYR 166

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,559

$330 MYR 1,350

15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 921

$189 MYR 773

19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,598

$704 MYR 2,878

-9.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,133

$280 MYR 1,144

86.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 9,004

$2,049 MYR 8,376

7.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,740

$1,151 MYR 4,704

0.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,849

$893 MYR 3,650

5.46%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malacca: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Penang versus $330 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 5% 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $253 – 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: $867 in Penang, $764 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 $1,300 per month in Penang and $1,146 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 $22.00 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 $867 in Penang and $764 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 $867 in Penang and $764 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 $764 in Malacca to $867 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.