Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Penang versus $1,008 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Penang versus $1,449 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Penang versus $1,890 in Selangor.

Living in Penang costs roughly 16% less than in Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.34

$2.56 MYR 10.16

21.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 82.7

$23.14 MYR 91.7

-9.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$3.74 MYR 14.84

10.70%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.23 MYR 8.83

26.91%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.77 MYR 3.06

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.40

$4.19 MYR 16.62

4.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.63

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.83 MYR 7.26

3.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.01 MYR 4.00

-1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.78

$1.45 MYR 5.74

35.17%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$1.83 MYR 7.24

16.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 67.8

$14.43 MYR 57.2

18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.11

$4.66 MYR 18.46

8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 57.5

$9.83 MYR 38.98

47.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.00

$2.87 MYR 11.37

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.64 MYR 6.52

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.30

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.42

$1.51 MYR 5.98

40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.27 MYR 5.03

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$0.99 MYR 3.93

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.78

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.54 MYR 2.15

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.41

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 78.5

$19.54 MYR 77.5

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.31

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-22.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.94

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 71.4

$11.61 MYR 46.04

55.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-43.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 27.68

$4.38 MYR 17.39

59.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.46 MYR 1.84

8.70%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

-13.49%

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

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

-15.47%

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

$39.05 MYR 155

$65.4 MYR 259

-40.31%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.09

$9.48 MYR 37.59

6.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 123

$25.69 MYR 102

20.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 128

$38.55 MYR 153

-16.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.44

$7.29 MYR 28.90

-25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.49

$5.20 MYR 20.62

-5.38%

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

$240 MYR 950

$117 MYR 462

105.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

39.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 220

$59.8 MYR 237

-7.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 115

$36.96 MYR 147

-21.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 241

$75.1 MYR 298

-19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 206

$78.9 MYR 313

-34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,539

$441 MYR 1,749

-12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 909

$348 MYR 1,379

-34.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,530

$849 MYR 3,365

-24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,034

$472 MYR 1,871

8.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,190

$1,659 MYR 6,577

39.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,678

$726 MYR 2,878

62.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,762

$1,004 MYR 3,980

-5.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.96

5.05%

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

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Penang and $441 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $23.00 in Selangor. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $261, with Selangor 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Selangor earns 6% 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 $441 in Selangor. 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 $23.00 in Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Penang versus $1,008 in Selangor – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $850 in Penang versus $1,008 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Selangor. 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 Selangor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang and Selangor 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 19% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.