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: $851 in Rawang versus $849 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,316 in Rawang versus $1,356 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in Rawang versus $1,863 in Penang.

Monthly costs are close between Rawang and Penang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawang 36% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$3.14 MYR 12.85

-4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.97 MYR 85.8

$21.56 MYR 88.2

-2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.18 MYR 17.10

1.91%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.69

$2.95 MYR 12.05

-3.05%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.51

$0.69 MYR 2.81

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.34 MYR 1.37

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.66

$4.38 MYR 17.91

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.54 MYR 18.59

-5.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$1.96 MYR 8.00

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.79

$2.03 MYR 8.30

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 MYR 59.3

$17.29 MYR 70.7

-16.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$5.23 MYR 21.41

-11.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.73

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-35.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$2.79 MYR 11.40

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.46 MYR 5.99

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.55

$2.61 MYR 10.69

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-31.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$1.18 MYR 4.81

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.16 MYR 4.74

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.66

$0.91 MYR 3.72

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.45 MYR 1.85

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.06

$4.30 MYR 17.58

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 MYR 77.2

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.10

$2.70 MYR 11.03

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.45

$3.41 MYR 13.94

3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.46 MYR 1.87

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 47.42

$17.34 MYR 70.9

-33.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.68 MYR 2.80

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.53 MYR 2.17

1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MYR 18.96

$6.89 MYR 28.19

-32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$33.4K MYR 136.7K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

1.33%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.3K

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

-0.22%

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

$38.80 MYR 159

$38.52 MYR 158

0.73%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.86

$10.16 MYR 41.54

-1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 MYR 107

$31.68 MYR 130

-17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 MYR 154

$32.43 MYR 133

15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 MYR 23.49

$5.57 MYR 22.80

3.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.90

$4.89 MYR 20.01

-0.61%

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

$234 MYR 958

$238 MYR 973

-1.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,231 MYR 25.5K

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

-1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 222

$54.3 MYR 222

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.83 MYR 118

$29.23 MYR 120

-1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 MYR 250

$61.8 MYR 253

-0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 212

$52.6 MYR 215

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,559

$380 MYR 1,553

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MYR 1,082

$222 MYR 910

18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,655

$641 MYR 2,620

1.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,922

$516 MYR 2,111

-8.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,395

$2,245 MYR 9,183

-8.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,639

$1,168 MYR 4,779

-2.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 MYR 4,887

$921 MYR 3,765

29.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Rawang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Rawang and $380 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawang pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rawang vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $285 per month, with Rawang 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

Rawang vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 30% 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: $381 in Rawang versus $380 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $234 in Rawang versus $238 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $21.00 in Rawang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rawang, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Penang wins on affordability, Rawang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.