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: $846 in Penang versus $986 in Sarawak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Penang versus $1,450 in Sarawak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Penang versus $1,914 in Sarawak.

Living in Penang costs roughly 14% less than in Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Sarawak 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$3.73 MYR 15.19

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.03 MYR 81.5

$19.47 MYR 79.2

2.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.66

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-1.63%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.95

$3.00 MYR 12.22

-2.00%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.82 MYR 3.36

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.39 MYR 1.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$3.63 MYR 14.77

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.32

$4.54 MYR 18.46

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.26

$1.82 MYR 7.40

-1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.06 MYR 4.32

2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.51 MYR 6.15

14.57%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.05

$1.85 MYR 7.54

20.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 MYR 54.4

$13.17 MYR 53.6

1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 MYR 17.78

$4.39 MYR 17.84

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 MYR 36.60

$9.79 MYR 39.85

-8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$3.26 MYR 13.26

-11.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.76 MYR 7.18

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$2.41 MYR 9.81

8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.94

$1.66 MYR 6.74

-12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$1.32 MYR 5.37

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.17 MYR 4.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.21 MYR 4.92

-8.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.35

$0.56 MYR 2.29

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.45

$4.40 MYR 17.89

3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 79.5

$19.47 MYR 79.2

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$3.02 MYR 12.29

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.20

$3.68 MYR 14.97

8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.72 MYR 2.92

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 MYR 49.95

$12.50 MYR 50.9

-1.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.20 MYR 4.90

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.48 MYR 1.95

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MYR 30.97

$7.32 MYR 29.77

3.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$0.73 MYR 2.96

15.07%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

-1.43%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

-2.74%

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

$37.45 MYR 152

$49.33 MYR 201

-24.08%

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

$9.83 MYR 40.01

$9.93 MYR 40.41

-1.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 MYR 121

$28.50 MYR 116

4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 MYR 157

$40.37 MYR 164

-4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.81 MYR 19.57

$6.50 MYR 26.45

-26.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.59

$4.95 MYR 20.13

7.27%

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

$435 MYR 1,769

$177 MYR 718

146.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

117.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 245

$61.3 MYR 249

-1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 MYR 141

$35.90 MYR 146

-3.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$81.2 MYR 330

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MYR 288

$69.2 MYR 282

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MYR 1,623

$422 MYR 1,716

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 928

$328 MYR 1,334

-30.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MYR 2,406

$709 MYR 2,883

-16.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MYR 1,694

$493 MYR 2,007

-15.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,235 MYR 9,094

$2,086 MYR 8,485

7.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 MYR 4,346

$1,123 MYR 4,567

-4.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 MYR 3,754

$343 MYR 1,397

168.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.2

0.95%

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

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Penang and $422 in Sarawak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 169% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Sarawak. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $257, with Penang 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 169% 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: $399 in Penang versus $422 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 $20.00 versus $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $846 per month in Penang versus $986 in Sarawak – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $986 in Sarawak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Sarawak. 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 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 16% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.