Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sarawak Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sarawak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Penang versus $909 in Sarawak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,396 in Penang versus $1,312 in Sarawak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,938 in Penang versus $1,714 in Sarawak.

Living in Penang costs roughly 6% less than in Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 MYR 11.97

$3.46 MYR 13.65

-12.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.23 MYR 83.9

$18.70 MYR 73.9

13.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.28

$5.41 MYR 21.37

-23.84%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.64

$2.70 MYR 10.66

9.26%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.79 MYR 3.11

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.33

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 MYR 17.63

$7.72 MYR 30.51

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 17.87

$8.13 MYR 32.13

-44.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$1.79 MYR 7.07

2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.99 MYR 3.92

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 7.99

$1.23 MYR 4.87

64.23%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.04 MYR 8.08

3.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 MYR 67.1

$15.06 MYR 59.5

12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 MYR 20.41

$2.65 MYR 10.48

95.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MYR 57.7

$9.60 MYR 37.93

52.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.56

$2.99 MYR 11.81

-2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.73

$1.46 MYR 5.75

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.57

$2.50 MYR 9.88

7.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 MYR 8.61

$1.43 MYR 5.65

52.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$1.22 MYR 4.82

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.28 MYR 5.04

-4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$1.04 MYR 4.09

-6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.63 MYR 2.47

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.35

$4.16 MYR 16.41

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 MYR 76.7

$16.22 MYR 64.1

19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.40

$2.86 MYR 11.28

-8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$2.97 MYR 11.74

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.73 MYR 2.87

-34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.59 MYR 69.5

$11.56 MYR 45.65

52.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$1.20 MYR 4.75

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$0.99 MYR 3.90

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 MYR 28.74

$5.91 MYR 23.35

23.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-2.00%

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

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

-4.13%

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

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

-13.22%

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

$38.68 MYR 153

$42.70 MYR 169

-9.41%

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

$10.06 MYR 39.73

$8.86 MYR 34.99

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.12 MYR 123

$28.95 MYR 114

7.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.54 MYR 129

$37.04 MYR 146

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 MYR 22.32

$6.03 MYR 23.82

-6.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 19.89

$4.90 MYR 19.34

2.86%

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

$236 MYR 931

$187 MYR 737

26.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

-11.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$35.88 MYR 142

51.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MYR 115

$39.15 MYR 155

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 MYR 247

$78.7 MYR 311

-20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 MYR 210

$57.5 MYR 227

-7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$326 MYR 1,289

16.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 890

$270 MYR 1,065

-16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,539

$500 MYR 1,977

28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,036

$356 MYR 1,405

44.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 MYR 9,095

$1,754 MYR 6,928

31.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 MYR 4,709

$886 MYR 3,498

34.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 MYR 3,792

$429 MYR 1,696

123.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.07

2.21%

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

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $326 in Sarawak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 124% 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 $19 in Sarawak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $240 per month, with Sarawak 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 124% 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 $326 in Sarawak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Penang versus $909 in Sarawak – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 Sarawak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang and Sarawak 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 7% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.