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: $852 in Rawang versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Rawang versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,768 in Rawang versus $1,868 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.05

$3.11 MYR 12.34

-2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 MYR 83.4

$20.86 MYR 82.7

0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 16.99

$4.14 MYR 16.42

3.38%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.20

$2.83 MYR 11.22

-0.35%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$0.74 MYR 2.93

22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.35

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.55

$4.39 MYR 17.40

-5.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.10

$4.45 MYR 17.63

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.28

$1.90 MYR 7.53

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$0.99 MYR 3.92

4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.81

$1.96 MYR 7.78

-12.24%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$2.14 MYR 8.47

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 58.2

$17.10 MYR 67.8

-14.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.22

$5.07 MYR 20.11

-9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 37.29

$14.51 MYR 57.5

-35.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$2.77 MYR 11.00

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.95

$1.52 MYR 6.01

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.75

$2.60 MYR 10.30

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$2.12 MYR 8.42

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.13 MYR 4.47

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.21 MYR 4.80

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MYR 3.64

$0.95 MYR 3.78

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.49 MYR 1.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.18

$4.14 MYR 16.41

4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 78.2

$19.79 MYR 78.5

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$2.60 MYR 10.31

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.31

$3.51 MYR 13.94

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.46 MYR 1.81

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 46.30

$18.00 MYR 71.4

-35.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.91

$0.68 MYR 2.69

7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$0.54 MYR 2.16

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 MYR 18.19

$6.98 MYR 27.68

-34.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$0.50 MYR 1.99

2.00%

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

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

-0.35%

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

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

1.02%

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

$37.94 MYR 150

$39.05 MYR 155

-2.84%

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

$10.01 MYR 39.71

$10.11 MYR 40.09

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 MYR 101

$30.91 MYR 123

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 148

$32.17 MYR 128

15.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.95

$5.41 MYR 21.44

7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.30

$4.92 MYR 19.49

-1.02%

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

$235 MYR 934

$240 MYR 950

-1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 MYR 220

$55.5 MYR 220

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.12 MYR 115

$28.97 MYR 115

0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 240

$60.7 MYR 241

-0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 206

$52.0 MYR 206

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,506

$388 MYR 1,539

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,076

$229 MYR 909

18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,516

$638 MYR 2,530

-0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,903

$513 MYR 2,034

-6.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 7,981

$2,318 MYR 9,190

-13.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 MYR 3,814

$1,180 MYR 4,678

-18.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,232 MYR 4,886

$949 MYR 3,762

29.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Rawang and $388 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 $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 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

Rawang pays 30% 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: $380 in Rawang versus $388 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Rawang versus $240 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 $21.00 versus $21.00 in Rawang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $850 in Penang versus $852 in Rawang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Rawang. 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 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.