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: $855 in Penang versus $969 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Penang versus $1,514 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,933 in Penang versus $2,059 in Muar.

Living in Penang costs roughly 12% less than in Muar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Muar 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 12.15

$2.58 MYR 10.54

15.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.37 MYR 87.4

$23.44 MYR 95.9

-8.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.31 MYR 17.61

$3.21 MYR 13.14

34.27%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$2.34 MYR 9.57

23.08%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.73 MYR 2.97

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 MYR 1.47

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$4.32 MYR 17.68

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$5.49 MYR 22.44

-21.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.49

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.12 MYR 4.58

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 8.02

$1.44 MYR 5.89

36.11%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.76

$1.82 MYR 7.44

17.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.25 MYR 70.6

$22.17 MYR 90.7

-22.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 MYR 21.04

$4.92 MYR 20.12

4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 60.0

$10.68 MYR 43.68

37.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$3.97 MYR 16.22

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.71 MYR 6.97

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$3.34 MYR 13.67

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.60

$2.54 MYR 10.38

-17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$1.69 MYR 6.92

-29.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$0.99 MYR 4.06

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.69

$1.08 MYR 4.40

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.18

$4.15 MYR 16.95

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 MYR 76.6

$18.01 MYR 73.7

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 MYR 10.59

$4.41 MYR 18.05

-41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$5.59 MYR 22.86

-39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.73 MYR 2.99

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.37 MYR 71.0

$11.71 MYR 47.87

48.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-52.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 MYR 29.08

$4.42 MYR 18.07

60.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$34.0K MYR 139.1K

$43.9K MYR 179.6K

-22.57%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.7K

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

-9.70%

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

$38.69 MYR 158

$74.5 MYR 305

-48.05%

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

$10.29 MYR 42.07

$9.60 MYR 39.24

7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MYR 129

$28.81 MYR 118

9.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.58 MYR 133

$37.32 MYR 153

-12.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.45 MYR 22.29

$5.96 MYR 24.36

-8.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 20.02

$5.52 MYR 22.56

-11.41%

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

$242 MYR 991

$117 MYR 480

106.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,079 MYR 24.9K

$4,326 MYR 17.7K

40.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 227

$108 MYR 442

-48.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 MYR 117

$27.86 MYR 114

2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 MYR 252

$75.8 MYR 310

-18.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 MYR 218

$78.9 MYR 323

-32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,572

$389 MYR 1,592

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MYR 942

$265 MYR 1,085

-13.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,615

$634 MYR 2,593

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,135

$465 MYR 1,900

12.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,227 MYR 9,107

$1,832 MYR 7,492

21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 MYR 4,693

$1,165 MYR 4,764

-1.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 MYR 3,777

$605 MYR 2,473

52.71%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Muar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Penang and $389 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $23.00 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $309 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 13% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $969 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Penang, 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: $384 in Penang versus $389 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 48% less than in Muar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $242 in Penang versus $117 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $855 in Penang versus $969 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 13% less than in Muar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.