Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Rawang versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Rawang versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,666 in Rawang versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Rawang costs roughly 13% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawang 47% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 MYR 14.89

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.88 MYR 80.9

$20.03 MYR 81.5

-0.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.36

$4.83 MYR 19.66

3.73%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.02

$2.94 MYR 11.95

0.68%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.44

$0.71 MYR 2.90

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 MYR 16.91

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.82

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-2.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.51

$1.79 MYR 7.26

2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.09 MYR 4.45

1.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.95

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.68

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.09 MYR 65.5

$13.37 MYR 54.4

20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 MYR 20.31

$4.37 MYR 17.78

14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 MYR 39.56

$9.00 MYR 36.60

8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.16

$2.87 MYR 11.67

4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.84

$1.70 MYR 6.90

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 10.21

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-3.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.21

$1.46 MYR 5.94

4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.36

$1.13 MYR 4.58

16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.68

$1.17 MYR 4.77

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.79

$1.11 MYR 4.51

6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 MYR 18.04

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 MYR 77.7

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.30

$2.91 MYR 11.85

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 MYR 16.93

$3.98 MYR 16.20

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.48 MYR 1.94

47.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.22 MYR 49.72

$12.28 MYR 49.95

-0.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 MYR 7.01

$1.70 MYR 6.92

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 MYR 28.16

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-9.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-3.57%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.3K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

1.81%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.1K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-0.18%

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

$38.27 MYR 156

$37.45 MYR 152

2.19%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.62

$9.83 MYR 40.01

1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 MYR 124

$29.72 MYR 121

2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 MYR 164

$38.51 MYR 157

4.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.55 MYR 26.64

$4.81 MYR 19.57

36.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 MYR 22.55

$5.31 MYR 21.59

4.33%

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

$308 MYR 1,252

$435 MYR 1,769

-29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 251

$60.3 MYR 245

2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.16 MYR 143

$34.72 MYR 141

1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 MYR 286

$70.8 MYR 288

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 MYR 580

$399 MYR 1,623

-64.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 MYR 422

$228 MYR 928

-54.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 MYR 2,415

$591 MYR 2,406

0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MYR 974

$417 MYR 1,694

-42.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 MYR 8,366

$2,235 MYR 9,094

-8.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,114 MYR 4,530

$1,068 MYR 4,346

4.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 MYR 4,143

$923 MYR 3,754

10.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

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

Last update for Rawang: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in Rawang and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawang pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Rawang vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $255, with Penang 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

Rawang vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawang and Penang differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($737 vs $846 including rent). Rawang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Rawang, 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: $143 in Rawang versus $399 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawang – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $20.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $737 per month in Rawang versus $846 in Penang – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Rawang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Rawang 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, Rawang 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 Rawang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.