Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $986 in Sarawak versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Sarawak versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Sarawak versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Sarawak is roughly 16% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 29% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.19

$3.73 MYR 15.18

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$20.03 MYR 81.5

-2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$4.83 MYR 19.66

1.66%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.22

$2.94 MYR 11.95

2.04%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$0.71 MYR 2.90

15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.39 MYR 1.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.77

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.46

$4.50 MYR 18.32

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$1.79 MYR 7.26

1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-12.72%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MYR 53.6

$13.37 MYR 54.4

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$4.37 MYR 17.78

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.85

$9.00 MYR 36.60

8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.26

$2.87 MYR 11.67

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.70 MYR 6.90

3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-7.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.46 MYR 5.94

13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.13 MYR 4.58

16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.17 MYR 4.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.11 MYR 4.51

9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.89

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.29

$2.91 MYR 11.85

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.97

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-7.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.48 MYR 1.94

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.50 MYR 50.9

$12.28 MYR 49.95

1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-29.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.42 MYR 1.70

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MYR 29.77

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-3.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-13.10%

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

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

1.45%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

2.82%

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

$49.33 MYR 201

$37.45 MYR 152

31.72%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.41

$9.83 MYR 40.01

1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 MYR 116

$29.72 MYR 121

-4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 MYR 164

$38.51 MYR 157

4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 MYR 26.45

$4.81 MYR 19.57

35.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.13

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-6.78%

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

$177 MYR 718

$435 MYR 1,769

-59.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-54.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$60.3 MYR 245

1.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 MYR 146

$34.72 MYR 141

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 330

$85.3 MYR 347

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MYR 282

$70.8 MYR 288

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,716

$399 MYR 1,623

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,334

$228 MYR 928

43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,883

$591 MYR 2,406

19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,007

$417 MYR 1,694

18.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,485

$2,235 MYR 9,094

-6.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 MYR 4,567

$1,068 MYR 4,346

5.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MYR 1,397

$923 MYR 3,754

-62.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.24

-0.94%

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

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Sarawak and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 169% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Sarawak vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 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

Sarawak vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 169% lower in Penang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Sarawak versus $399 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 $20.00 versus $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $986 per month in Sarawak versus $846 in Penang – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $986 in Sarawak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Sarawak. 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 Sarawak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sarawak 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 16% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.