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: $909 in Sarawak versus $854 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Sarawak versus $1,396 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,714 in Sarawak versus $1,938 in Penang.

Living in Sarawak is roughly 7% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 32% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.65

$3.03 MYR 11.97

14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 73.9

$21.23 MYR 83.9

-11.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 MYR 21.37

$4.12 MYR 16.28

31.31%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.66

$2.95 MYR 11.64

-8.47%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$0.72 MYR 2.86

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.34 MYR 1.33

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 MYR 30.51

$4.46 MYR 17.63

73.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 MYR 32.13

$4.52 MYR 17.87

79.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.84 MYR 7.26

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$2.02 MYR 7.99

-39.11%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.08

$2.11 MYR 8.32

-3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 MYR 59.5

$16.98 MYR 67.1

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.48

$5.17 MYR 20.41

-48.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 37.93

$14.61 MYR 57.7

-34.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.81

$2.93 MYR 11.56

2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.45 MYR 5.73

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.88

$2.68 MYR 10.57

-6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.65

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-34.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.15 MYR 4.53

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.22 MYR 4.83

4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$0.97 MYR 3.83

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.47

$0.48 MYR 1.91

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.41

$4.14 MYR 16.35

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 MYR 64.1

$19.42 MYR 76.7

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$2.63 MYR 10.40

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.74

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-15.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.48 MYR 1.91

52.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.65

$17.59 MYR 69.5

-34.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$0.72 MYR 2.86

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.90

$0.54 MYR 2.13

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.35

$7.28 MYR 28.74

-18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

4.31%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

15.24%

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

$42.70 MYR 169

$38.68 MYR 153

10.39%

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

$8.86 MYR 34.99

$10.06 MYR 39.73

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.95 MYR 114

$31.12 MYR 123

-6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 146

$32.54 MYR 129

13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.82

$5.65 MYR 22.32

6.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.34

$5.04 MYR 19.89

-2.78%

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

$187 MYR 737

$236 MYR 931

-20.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

12.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.88 MYR 142

$54.4 MYR 215

-34.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 MYR 155

$29.20 MYR 115

34.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MYR 311

$62.4 MYR 247

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 MYR 227

$53.1 MYR 210

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,289

$381 MYR 1,503

-14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,065

$225 MYR 890

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 1,977

$643 MYR 2,539

-22.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,405

$516 MYR 2,036

-31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 6,928

$2,303 MYR 9,095

-23.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 MYR 3,498

$1,192 MYR 4,709

-25.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MYR 1,696

$960 MYR 3,792

-55.27%

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 Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $326 in Sarawak and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Sarawak vs $21 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $285 per month, with Sarawak 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

Sarawak vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 124% less. 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: $326 in Sarawak versus $381 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 Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Sarawak versus $854 in Penang – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 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 7% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.