Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sentul Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sentul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Penang versus $832 in Sentul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Penang versus $1,260 in Sentul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Penang versus $1,689 in Sentul.

Living in Penang is roughly 2% more expensive than Sentul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Sentul 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.34

$3.44 MYR 13.63

-9.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 82.7

$18.62 MYR 73.8

12.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.63 MYR 18.35

-10.58%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.83 MYR 11.21

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

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.69 MYR 2.73

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.40

$3.56 MYR 14.11

23.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.63

$5.17 MYR 20.48

-13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.88 MYR 7.46

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.00 MYR 3.97

-1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.78

$1.73 MYR 6.87

13.29%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$1.87 MYR 7.40

14.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 67.8

$10.51 MYR 41.69

62.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.11

$3.40 MYR 13.50

49.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 57.5

$8.32 MYR 33.01

74.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.00

$2.73 MYR 10.84

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.01

$1.45 MYR 5.75

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.30

$2.49 MYR 9.88

4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.42

$1.25 MYR 4.94

69.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.40 MYR 5.55

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.78

$0.88 MYR 3.47

7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.60 MYR 2.36

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.41

$4.18 MYR 16.59

-0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 78.5

$14.43 MYR 57.2

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.31

$2.79 MYR 11.07

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.94

$2.96 MYR 11.74

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 71.4

$11.62 MYR 46.06

54.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$1.02 MYR 4.05

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$0.99 MYR 3.94

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 27.68

$9.02 MYR 35.75

-22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

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

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

$31.9K MYR 126.7K

6.42%

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

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

$28.3K MYR 112.2K

-4.70%

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

$39.05 MYR 155

$41.62 MYR 165

-6.17%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.09

$8.92 MYR 35.38

13.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 123

$23.34 MYR 92.6

32.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 128

$36.20 MYR 144

-11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.44

$5.98 MYR 23.71

-9.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.49

$4.98 MYR 19.75

-1.20%

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

$240 MYR 950

$188 MYR 747

27.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

$6,924 MYR 27.5K

-11.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 220

$63.6 MYR 252

-12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 115

$28.35 MYR 112

2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 241

$59.1 MYR 234

2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 206

$49.22 MYR 195

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,539

$379 MYR 1,505

2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 909

$270 MYR 1,070

-15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,530

$646 MYR 2,563

-1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,034

$471 MYR 1,867

8.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,190

$2,108 MYR 8,360

9.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,678

$899 MYR 3,566

31.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,762

$894 MYR 3,545

6.12%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sentul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Penang and $379 in Sentul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang 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 $19.00 in Sentul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $221 per month, with Sentul 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sentul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 6% 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: $388 in Penang versus $379 in Sentul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sentul – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. 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 $832 in Sentul – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $832 in Sentul versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sentul but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Sentul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Penang and Sentul 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 Sentul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.