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: $850 in Penang versus $852 in Rawang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Penang versus $1,310 in Rawang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Penang versus $1,768 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 37% lower, Rawang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.34

$3.04 MYR 12.05

2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 82.7

$21.02 MYR 83.4

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.28 MYR 16.99

-3.27%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.82 MYR 11.20

0.35%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.91 MYR 3.60

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.34 MYR 1.35

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.40

$4.17 MYR 16.55

5.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.63

$4.31 MYR 17.10

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.84 MYR 7.28

3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.03 MYR 4.08

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.78

$1.72 MYR 6.81

13.95%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$2.05 MYR 8.11

4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 67.8

$14.67 MYR 58.2

16.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.11

$4.59 MYR 18.22

10.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 57.5

$9.40 MYR 37.29

54.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.00

$2.86 MYR 11.35

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.50 MYR 5.95

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.30

$2.71 MYR 10.75

-4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.42

$1.46 MYR 5.77

45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.14 MYR 4.54

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.16 MYR 4.62

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.78

$0.92 MYR 3.64

3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.49 MYR 1.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.41

$4.33 MYR 17.18

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 78.5

$19.73 MYR 78.2

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.31

$2.68 MYR 10.64

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.94

$3.36 MYR 13.31

4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.69 MYR 2.72

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 71.4

$11.68 MYR 46.30

54.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$0.73 MYR 2.91

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$0.51 MYR 2.00

5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 27.68

$4.59 MYR 18.19

52.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.51 MYR 2.01

-1.96%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

0.35%

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

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

-1.01%

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

$39.05 MYR 155

$37.94 MYR 150

2.93%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.09

$10.01 MYR 39.71

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 123

$25.40 MYR 101

21.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 128

$37.31 MYR 148

-13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.44

$5.79 MYR 22.95

-6.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.49

$4.87 MYR 19.30

1.03%

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

$240 MYR 950

$235 MYR 934

1.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

-0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 220

$55.6 MYR 220

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 115

$29.12 MYR 115

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 241

$60.4 MYR 240

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 206

$51.9 MYR 206

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,539

$380 MYR 1,506

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 909

$271 MYR 1,076

-15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,530

$635 MYR 2,516

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,034

$480 MYR 1,903

6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,190

$2,013 MYR 7,981

15.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,678

$962 MYR 3,814

22.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,762

$1,232 MYR 4,886

-23.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Penang and $380 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: $21.00 in Penang vs $21.00 in Rawang. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $255, with Rawang cheaper for home cooking.

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, Rawang earns 30% less. 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: $388 in Penang versus $380 in Rawang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Penang versus $235 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 $21.00 versus $21.00 in Rawang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $850 in Penang versus $852 in Rawang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Rawang. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.