Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Selangor versus $859 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Selangor versus $1,322 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Selangor versus $1,786 in Penang.

Living in Selangor is roughly 20% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$3.75 MYR 15.15

17.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$19.54 MYR 79.0

3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$4.75 MYR 19.22

-14.53%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$3.07 MYR 12.41

-27.04%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$0.73 MYR 2.96

15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.37 MYR 1.49

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$4.17 MYR 16.85

7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$4.41 MYR 17.84

12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.82 MYR 7.35

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.06 MYR 4.27

4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.80 MYR 7.28

-17.22%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.21 MYR 8.92

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$13.29 MYR 53.7

21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$4.53 MYR 18.31

7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$8.86 MYR 35.80

11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$2.92 MYR 11.81

15.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.69 MYR 6.83

8.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.60 MYR 10.49

-9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$1.48 MYR 5.99

12.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.07 MYR 4.32

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$1.11 MYR 4.48

-5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.11 MYR 4.49

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$0.54 MYR 2.17

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$4.54 MYR 18.37

0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$19.01 MYR 76.9

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$3.01 MYR 12.18

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$4.13 MYR 16.68

22.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.48 MYR 1.94

160.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$12.59 MYR 50.9

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-30.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$0.42 MYR 1.68

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$7.59 MYR 30.67

-41.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.87 MYR 3.53

-20.69%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$43.1K MYR 174.1K

-0.37%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$34.8K MYR 140.6K

2.04%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$38.08 MYR 154

72.14%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$10.06 MYR 40.66

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$29.46 MYR 119

-10.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$38.74 MYR 157

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$4.90 MYR 19.80

44.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$5.10 MYR 20.62

6.47%

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

$123 MYR 499

$438 MYR 1,770

-71.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

-30.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$61.4 MYR 248

16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$35.89 MYR 145

19.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$85.1 MYR 344

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$69.6 MYR 281

18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$409 MYR 1,654

24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$237 MYR 959

46.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$573 MYR 2,316

59.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$418 MYR 1,692

16.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$2,246 MYR 9,081

-27.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$1,081 MYR 4,369

-34.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$928 MYR 3,750

14.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.24

-6.60%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Selangor and $409 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Selangor vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $254, 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

Selangor vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Selangor, 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: $509 in Selangor versus $409 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 $20.00 in Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,029 per month in Selangor versus $859 in Penang – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $859 in Penang versus $1,029 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Selangor. 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 Selangor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Selangor 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 20% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.