Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Ulu Tiram

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $913 a month against $938 in Ulu Tiram, rent and utilities included – about $300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ulu Tiram outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Ulu Tiram
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Ulu Tiram Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Ulu Tiram

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Ulu Tiram

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Ulu Tiram actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Penang versus $938 in Ulu Tiram.

Penang $913
Ulu Tiram $938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Penang versus $1,412 in Ulu Tiram.

Penang $1,403
Ulu Tiram $1,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Penang versus $1,885 in Ulu Tiram.

Penang $1,894
Ulu Tiram $1,885

Living in Penang costs roughly 3% less than in Ulu Tiram, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 33% lower, Ulu Tiram 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.17

$3.58 MYR 14.59

4.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 MYR 81.1

$19.21 MYR 78.2

3.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.45

$4.97 MYR 20.24

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.13

$2.92 MYR 11.90

2.05%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.06

$0.85 MYR 3.44

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.41 MYR 1.67

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.53

$4.50 MYR 18.30

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.81

$6.40 MYR 26.03

-31.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.59

$1.73 MYR 7.02

7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.40

$1.04 MYR 4.23

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.48 MYR 6.03

18.92%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.03

$1.80 MYR 7.33

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 MYR 54.8

$9.62 MYR 39.17

39.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.12

$4.23 MYR 17.21

5.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MYR 35.42

$9.57 MYR 38.95

-9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.88

$3.30 MYR 13.44

-11.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.71

$1.69 MYR 6.90

-2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.62

$2.76 MYR 11.25

-5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.69

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-14.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.55

$1.67 MYR 6.78

-32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$1.39 MYR 5.65

-20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.56 MYR 2.29

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 19.07

$4.30 MYR 17.48

9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 MYR 78.6

$17.28 MYR 70.3

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$2.96 MYR 12.04

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 MYR 22.01

$3.11 MYR 12.65

73.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.80 MYR 3.25

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.03 MYR 48.96

$13.32 MYR 54.2

-9.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 MYR 6.77

$0.94 MYR 3.84

76.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.38 MYR 1.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.41

$8.77 MYR 35.71

-14.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.86 MYR 3.51

10.47%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.9K

$43.8K MYR 178.3K

0.87%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.6K

$35.5K MYR 144.5K

0.73%

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

$36.68 MYR 149

$53.5 MYR 218

-31.41%

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

$9.56 MYR 38.90

$8.46 MYR 34.42

13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 MYR 120

$28.46 MYR 116

3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 MYR 160

$37.15 MYR 151

5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 MYR 19.76

$6.93 MYR 28.19

-30.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.45

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-0.42%

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

$398 MYR 1,619

$241 MYR 980

65.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$4,550 MYR 18.5K

133.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 248

$55.0 MYR 224

10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 MYR 144

$16.99 MYR 69.2

108.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MYR 340

$78.7 MYR 320

6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MYR 286

$87.0 MYR 354

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,661

$453 MYR 1,844

-9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MYR 1,169

$315 MYR 1,282

-8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,839

$709 MYR 2,887

-1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,174

$547 MYR 2,227

-2.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,615

$2,005 MYR 8,161

5.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 MYR 5,132

$1,196 MYR 4,867

5.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,791

$869 MYR 3,535

7.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.06

-0.49%

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

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$287 31.5%

Ulu Tiram

$315 33.6% 9.7% $28

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 28.2%

Ulu Tiram

$241 25.7% 6.4% $16

Eating Out

Penang

$113 12.4%

Ulu Tiram

$119 12.7% 4.9% $5.5

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$113 12.3%

Ulu Tiram

$107 11.4% 4.9% $5.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.3%

Ulu Tiram

$90 9.6% 19.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.3%

Ulu Tiram

$47 5% 4.1% $2

Getting Around

Penang

$18 1.9%

Ulu Tiram

$19 2.1% 10.1% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Penang and $453 in Ulu Tiram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20 in Penang vs $19 in Ulu Tiram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $241 per month, with Ulu Tiram cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇾 Ulu Tiram

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

Same time as Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

75,350

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Penang Ulu Tiram 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Penang
Ulu Tiram

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $408 in Penang versus $453 in Ulu Tiram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulu Tiram – a meal for two runs $19 versus $20 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $913 per month in Penang versus $938 in Ulu Tiram – Penang is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Penang and Ulu Tiram are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.