Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Rawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Rawang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $849 in Penang versus $851 in Rawang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Penang versus $1,316 in Rawang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,863 in Penang versus $1,782 in Rawang.

Monthly costs are close between Penang and Rawang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.85

$3.01 MYR 12.30

4.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.56 MYR 88.2

$20.97 MYR 85.8

2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$2.86 MYR 11.69

3.15%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.86 MYR 3.51

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.33 MYR 1.37

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$4.32 MYR 17.66

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.59

$4.29 MYR 17.56

5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$1.83 MYR 7.47

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.99 MYR 4.03

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 8.00

$1.65 MYR 6.75

18.79%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$2.15 MYR 8.79

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 MYR 70.7

$14.50 MYR 59.3

19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MYR 21.41

$4.62 MYR 18.88

13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$9.47 MYR 38.73

55.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.40

$2.78 MYR 11.36

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.44 MYR 5.88

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.69

$2.58 MYR 10.55

1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.45 MYR 5.93

45.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.19 MYR 4.85

-0.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$0.89 MYR 3.66

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.48 MYR 1.97

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.58

$4.17 MYR 17.06

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$18.87 MYR 77.2

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.71 MYR 11.10

-0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$3.53 MYR 14.45

-3.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.34 MYR 70.9

$11.60 MYR 47.42

49.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.54 MYR 2.22

-1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.19

$4.64 MYR 18.96

48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-8.00%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$33.4K MYR 136.7K

-1.31%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

$27.2K MYR 111.3K

0.22%

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

$38.52 MYR 158

$38.80 MYR 159

-0.72%

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

$10.16 MYR 41.54

$9.99 MYR 40.86

1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.68 MYR 130

$26.14 MYR 107

21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 MYR 133

$37.59 MYR 154

-13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.57 MYR 22.80

$5.74 MYR 23.49

-2.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$4.86 MYR 19.90

0.62%

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

$238 MYR 973

$234 MYR 958

1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

$6,231 MYR 25.5K

1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 MYR 222

$54.4 MYR 222

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 120

$28.83 MYR 118

1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 253

$61.2 MYR 250

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 215

$51.9 MYR 212

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$381 MYR 1,559

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 910

$264 MYR 1,082

-15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,620

$649 MYR 2,655

-1.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,111

$470 MYR 1,922

9.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MYR 9,183

$2,052 MYR 8,395

9.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 MYR 4,779

$1,134 MYR 4,639

3.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 MYR 3,765

$1,195 MYR 4,887

-22.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rawang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Penang and $381 in Rawang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawang pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $21.00 in Rawang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $252 per month, with Rawang 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 Rawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Rawang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $380 in Penang versus $381 in Rawang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Penang versus $234 in Rawang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $21.00 in Rawang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rawang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang and Rawang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Penang wins on affordability, Rawang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.