Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $839 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $839 per month in Penang vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Penang $839
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,314 per month in Penang vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Penang $1,314
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Penang vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Penang $1,790
Nosara $3,712

Penang is about 54% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Penang sits 37% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.65

$12.22 ₡5,509

-70.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 MYR 81.1

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-67.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$7.54 ₡3,399

-39.26%

Cappuccino

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$4.31 ₡1,941

-29.47%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$1.72 ₡773

-57.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$1.35 ₡608

-71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$3.24 ₡1,459

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.65

$4.48 ₡2,018

-3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.57 ₡707

20.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$3.17 ₡1,429

-65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$2.42 ₡1,091

-26.86%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.11

$3.57 ₡1,609

-37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 MYR 56.0

$7.43 ₡3,349

84.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$10.42 ₡4,697

-58.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MYR 35.16

$13.66 ₡6,156

-37.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.43

$2.32 ₡1,044

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$1.61 ₡728

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.91

$4.74 ₡2,138

-43.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.01

$1.66 ₡747

-11.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.47

$3.72 ₡1,679

-70.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.39

$3.57 ₡1,611

-70.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.10 ₡497

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$2.55 ₡1,149

-77.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.95 ₡2,232

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 78.9

$20.01 ₡9,020

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.96

$2.79 ₡1,256

5.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 MYR 21.95

$3.53 ₡1,589

52.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$1.19 ₡537

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.3

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-82.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$2.24 ₡1,011

-21.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.52

$1.55 ₡701

-76.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 MYR 29.72

$8.86 ₡3,993

-17.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.57 ₡708

-40.13%

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

$41.0K MYR 167.4K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

87.84%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

0.68%

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

$36.55 MYR 149

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-60.89%

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

$9.97 MYR 40.75

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 MYR 120

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-43.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 MYR 159

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-45.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.98 MYR 20.35

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-85.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.92

$7.84 ₡3,535

-37.88%

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

$430 MYR 1,757

$490 ₡220.7K

-12.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-9.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 246

$53.5 ₡24.1K

12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 MYR 144

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MYR 341

$79.3 ₡35.7K

5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 MYR 285

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,643

$786 ₡354.3K

-48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 MYR 950

$780 ₡351.6K

-70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 MYR 2,537

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-83.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 MYR 1,678

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-70.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 9,045

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-68.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 MYR 4,323

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-11.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 MYR 3,855

$876 ₡395.0K

7.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

8.62

-53.13%

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

Last update for Penang: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$258 30.1%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 35.4% $91

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$232 27.1%

Nosara

$780 43% 236% $547

Eating Out

Penang

$113 13.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 85.6% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 13.1%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 7.5% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 137% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 79.4% $39

Getting Around

Penang

$18 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 384% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Penang versus $786 in Nosara. 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 8% higher in Penang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Penang versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $350 – making Penang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:44 11:44 AM

21:44 9:44 PM

14 h behind Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

4,912

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Penang Nosara 18,190 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Penang
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $839 in Penang, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 119% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,259 per month in Penang and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 486% less in Penang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Penang and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $839 in Penang to $1,837 in Nosara. 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 Penang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.