Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Muar Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Muar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Penang versus $989 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,396 in Penang versus $1,485 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,938 in Penang versus $1,982 in Muar.

Living in Penang costs roughly 14% less than in Muar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Muar 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 MYR 11.97

$2.64 MYR 10.45

14.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.23 MYR 83.9

$23.71 MYR 93.7

-10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.28

$3.26 MYR 12.88

26.38%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.64

$2.26 MYR 8.94

30.53%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.78 MYR 3.08

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.33

$0.33 MYR 1.31

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 MYR 17.63

$4.26 MYR 16.83

4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 17.87

$5.29 MYR 20.90

-14.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$1.82 MYR 7.20

1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.08 MYR 4.25

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 7.99

$1.44 MYR 5.70

40.28%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$1.84 MYR 7.28

14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 MYR 67.1

$22.15 MYR 87.5

-23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 MYR 20.41

$5.01 MYR 19.81

3.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MYR 57.7

$10.80 MYR 42.64

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.56

$3.94 MYR 15.56

-25.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.73

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.57

$3.35 MYR 13.22

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 MYR 8.61

$2.57 MYR 10.13

-15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$1.68 MYR 6.63

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.04 MYR 4.11

17.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$1.09 MYR 4.29

-11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.55 MYR 2.19

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.35

$4.32 MYR 17.08

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 MYR 76.7

$19.29 MYR 76.2

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.40

$4.37 MYR 17.25

-39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$5.62 MYR 22.19

-37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.73 MYR 2.89

-34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.59 MYR 69.5

$11.80 MYR 46.60

49.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$1.17 MYR 4.60

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$1.09 MYR 4.32

-50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 MYR 28.74

$4.35 MYR 17.19

67.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-2.00%

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

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$43.0K MYR 170.0K

-21.58%

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

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

$31.1K MYR 122.9K

-11.57%

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

$38.68 MYR 153

$74.1 MYR 293

-47.79%

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

$10.06 MYR 39.73

$9.74 MYR 38.49

3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.12 MYR 123

$28.20 MYR 111

10.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.54 MYR 129

$37.24 MYR 147

-12.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 MYR 22.32

$5.92 MYR 23.39

-4.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 19.89

$5.61 MYR 22.18

-10.16%

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

$236 MYR 931

$120 MYR 475

96.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

$4,376 MYR 17.3K

41.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$111 MYR 440

-51.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MYR 115

$27.65 MYR 109

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 MYR 247

$76.1 MYR 301

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 MYR 210

$78.3 MYR 309

-32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$383 MYR 1,515

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 890

$273 MYR 1,080

-17.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,539

$650 MYR 2,569

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,036

$471 MYR 1,862

9.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 MYR 9,095

$1,721 MYR 6,797

33.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 MYR 4,709

$931 MYR 3,676

28.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 MYR 3,792

$623 MYR 2,460

54.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.96

5.05%

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

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Last update for Muar: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $383 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21 in Penang vs $24 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $312 per month, with Penang 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang and Muar differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $989 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Penang pays 54% 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: $381 in Penang versus $383 in Muar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 49% less than in Muar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $236 in Penang versus $120 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $854 in Penang versus $989 in Muar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Muar. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Penang and Muar 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 16% less than in Muar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.