Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Putra Heights versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,341 in Putra Heights versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,794 in Putra Heights versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Putra Heights is roughly 4% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Putra Heights 34% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.42

$3.11 MYR 12.34

17.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.10 MYR 75.7

$20.86 MYR 82.7

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.25

$4.14 MYR 16.42

11.11%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 11.94

$2.83 MYR 11.22

6.36%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.30

$0.74 MYR 2.93

12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.80

$0.36 MYR 1.43

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.20 MYR 16.64

$4.39 MYR 17.40

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MYR 23.03

$4.45 MYR 17.63

30.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.15

$1.90 MYR 7.53

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$1.96 MYR 7.78

-37.24%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.22

$2.14 MYR 8.47

-14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$17.10 MYR 67.8

-15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 MYR 18.82

$5.07 MYR 20.11

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 37.29

$14.51 MYR 57.5

-35.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.69

$2.77 MYR 11.00

6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.08

$1.52 MYR 6.01

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.47

$2.60 MYR 10.30

1.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.85

$2.12 MYR 8.42

-30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$1.13 MYR 4.47

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.33

$1.21 MYR 4.80

10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$0.95 MYR 3.78

22.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.08

$0.49 MYR 1.95

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MYR 16.35

$4.14 MYR 16.41

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.41 MYR 57.2

$19.79 MYR 78.5

-27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.43

$2.60 MYR 10.31

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.46

$3.51 MYR 13.94

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.91

$0.46 MYR 1.81

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.90

$18.00 MYR 71.4

-34.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.58

$0.68 MYR 2.69

69.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.90

$0.54 MYR 2.16

81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.18

$6.98 MYR 27.68

-30.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-2.00%

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

$35.6K MYR 141.1K

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

4.70%

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

$32.4K MYR 128.6K

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

20.25%

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

$63.4 MYR 251

$39.05 MYR 155

62.36%

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

$9.10 MYR 36.08

$10.11 MYR 40.09

-9.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 99.7

$30.91 MYR 123

-18.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.34 MYR 144

$32.17 MYR 128

12.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$5.41 MYR 21.44

6.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 MYR 20.85

$4.92 MYR 19.49

6.91%

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

$191 MYR 758

$240 MYR 950

-20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,843 MYR 27.1K

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

11.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 MYR 239

$55.5 MYR 220

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 75.6

$28.97 MYR 115

-34.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 293

$60.7 MYR 241

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.20 MYR 159

$52.0 MYR 206

-22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,516

$388 MYR 1,539

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,054

$229 MYR 909

15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,531

$638 MYR 2,530

0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,851

$513 MYR 2,034

-9.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,696 MYR 6,724

$2,318 MYR 9,190

-26.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MYR 3,491

$1,180 MYR 4,678

-25.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,141 MYR 4,524

$949 MYR 3,762

20.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Putra Heights: June 2, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Putra Heights and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putra Heights pays 20% 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: $19.00 in Putra Heights vs $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $285 per month, with Putra Heights 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

Putra Heights vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Putra Heights pays 20% 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: $382 in Putra Heights versus $388 in Penang. 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 $19.00 in Putra Heights. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $888 per month in Putra Heights versus $850 in Penang – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $850 in Penang versus $888 in Putra Heights, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Putra Heights. 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 Putra Heights, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Putra Heights and Penang 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 4% less than in Putra Heights. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.