Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sibu Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Sibu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Penang versus $821 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Penang versus $1,237 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,868 in Penang versus $1,653 in Sibu.

Living in Penang is roughly 3% more expensive than Sibu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Sibu 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.48

$2.10 MYR 8.43

48.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.86 MYR 83.7

$8.41 MYR 33.74

148.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.61

$4.00 MYR 16.03

3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.35

$2.13 MYR 8.52

32.86%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.96

$0.60 MYR 2.39

23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.23 MYR 0.92

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.60

$2.84 MYR 11.40

54.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.83

$4.95 MYR 19.86

-10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.61

$1.39 MYR 5.56

36.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.96

$1.33 MYR 5.32

-25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.87

$1.20 MYR 4.81

63.33%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.56

$1.55 MYR 6.22

38.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 MYR 68.6

$14.94 MYR 59.9

14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.34

$4.68 MYR 18.77

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 58.2

$5.93 MYR 23.78

144.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.12

$3.04 MYR 12.20

-8.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.08

$1.21 MYR 4.83

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.42

$1.87 MYR 7.50

39.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.51

$3.48 MYR 13.95

-39.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.52

$1.25 MYR 5.00

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.85

$2.31 MYR 9.27

-47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.82

$0.99 MYR 3.99

-4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$1.20 MYR 4.83

-59.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.60

$3.94 MYR 15.81

5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 MYR 79.4

$18.02 MYR 72.3

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MYR 10.42

$1.22 MYR 4.88

113.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 14.09

$4.09 MYR 16.41

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.73 MYR 2.92

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 MYR 72.2

$11.84 MYR 47.46

52.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$1.20 MYR 4.80

-43.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.18

$0.98 MYR 3.93

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.00

$5.83 MYR 23.38

19.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.50 MYR 1.99

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

$34.0K MYR 136.3K

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

-2.09%

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

$27.0K MYR 108.1K

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

-14.01%

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

$39.05 MYR 157

$43.93 MYR 176

-11.11%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.55

$5.12 MYR 20.53

97.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.91 MYR 124

$18.25 MYR 73.2

69.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 MYR 129

$23.20 MYR 93.1

38.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 MYR 21.68

$5.79 MYR 23.20

-6.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.71

$3.09 MYR 12.40

59.22%

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

$240 MYR 961

$190 MYR 762

26.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 MYR 24.5K

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

-12.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 MYR 223

$61.0 MYR 245

-8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 MYR 116

$27.04 MYR 108

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 243

$72.0 MYR 289

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 209

$50.2 MYR 201

3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,557

$384 MYR 1,540

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 919

$271 MYR 1,085

-15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,559

$650 MYR 2,606

-1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 MYR 2,057

$464 MYR 1,863

10.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 MYR 9,295

$2,217 MYR 8,890

4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MYR 4,731

$869 MYR 3,484

35.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 MYR 3,805

$511 MYR 2,048

85.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.25

-2.12%

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

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Penang and $384 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 86% 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 $8.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $249 per month, with Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 86% 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 $384 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibu – a meal for two runs $8.00 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 $821 in Sibu – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Sibu versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sibu 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 Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.