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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Penang vs $753 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Penang vs $1,157 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Penang vs $1,562 in Malacca, rent included.

Penang costs about 15% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Penang and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Penang 35% lower, Malacca 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.34

$3.61 MYR 14.63

-15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 MYR 87.5

$18.57 MYR 75.3

16.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.59 MYR 18.62

-5.66%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.90

$2.89 MYR 11.72

1.73%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.79 MYR 3.19

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.49 MYR 1.98

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.85

$2.14 MYR 8.66

105.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.10

$3.12 MYR 12.67

42.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.32

$1.48 MYR 6.01

22.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.98 MYR 3.99

1.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.23 MYR 5.00

65.04%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.81 MYR 7.35

17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.4

$15.36 MYR 62.3

13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MYR 21.12

$4.99 MYR 20.23

4.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 61.1

$11.48 MYR 46.57

31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$3.74 MYR 15.16

-23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.96

$1.48 MYR 5.98

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.43

$2.65 MYR 10.74

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.57

$2.03 MYR 8.21

3.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.53 MYR 6.22

-22.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.28 MYR 5.17

-25.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.56 MYR 2.27

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$4.15 MYR 16.82

5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.6

$14.09 MYR 57.2

39.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.61

$1.99 MYR 8.08

31.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.80

$2.92 MYR 11.85

16.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.45 MYR 1.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.40 MYR 70.6

$11.84 MYR 48.02

46.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$1.39 MYR 5.64

-50.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.99 MYR 4.01

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 MYR 29.19

$5.88 MYR 23.84

22.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.49 MYR 2.00

-4.08%

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

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

-8.22%

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

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

-28.59%

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

$38.60 MYR 157

$44.85 MYR 182

-13.94%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.79

$9.25 MYR 37.53

8.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 127

$30.20 MYR 122

4.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 MYR 134

$16.76 MYR 68.0

97.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.42 MYR 21.97

$11.71 MYR 47.48

-53.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.90

$4.90 MYR 19.86

0.20%

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

$238 MYR 963

$188 MYR 762

26.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

-9.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 221

$65.5 MYR 266

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.39 MYR 115

$19.13 MYR 77.6

48.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$71.8 MYR 291

-15.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 MYR 217

$40.10 MYR 163

33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,569

$334 MYR 1,355

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 933

$189 MYR 768

21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,597

$706 MYR 2,862

-9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MYR 2,131

$281 MYR 1,139

87.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 MYR 9,123

$1,956 MYR 7,932

15.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MYR 4,807

$991 MYR 4,017

19.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

$934 MYR 3,788

1.84%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Penang versus $334 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 $22.00 in Penang versus $19.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $254 – 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: $869 in Penang, $753 in Malacca – roughly 15% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Penang and $1,129 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 $869 in Penang and $753 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 $869 in Penang and $753 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 $753 in Malacca to $869 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.