Cost of Living Comparison Between Sentul and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Sentul and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $832 in Sentul versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Sentul versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Sentul versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Sentul costs roughly 2% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sentul 38% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$3.11 MYR 12.34

10.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 MYR 73.8

$20.86 MYR 82.7

-10.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$4.14 MYR 16.42

11.84%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.21

$2.83 MYR 11.22

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

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$0.74 MYR 2.93

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.36 MYR 1.43

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 MYR 14.11

$4.39 MYR 17.40

-18.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.48

$4.45 MYR 17.63

16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.46

$1.90 MYR 7.53

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$0.99 MYR 3.92

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.87

$1.96 MYR 7.78

-11.73%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$2.14 MYR 8.47

-12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MYR 41.69

$17.10 MYR 67.8

-38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.50

$5.07 MYR 20.11

-32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 MYR 33.01

$14.51 MYR 57.5

-42.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.84

$2.77 MYR 11.00

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.75

$1.52 MYR 6.01

-4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.88

$2.60 MYR 10.30

-4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$2.12 MYR 8.42

-41.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.55

$1.21 MYR 4.80

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.47

$0.95 MYR 3.78

-7.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.36

$0.49 MYR 1.95

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.59

$4.14 MYR 16.41

0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$19.79 MYR 78.5

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.07

$2.60 MYR 10.31

7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 11.74

$3.51 MYR 13.94

-15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.46 MYR 1.81

56.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 MYR 46.06

$18.00 MYR 71.4

-35.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$0.68 MYR 2.69

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.94

$0.54 MYR 2.16

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 MYR 35.75

$6.98 MYR 27.68

29.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

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

$31.9K MYR 126.7K

$34.0K MYR 134.8K

-6.03%

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

$28.3K MYR 112.2K

$27.0K MYR 106.9K

4.93%

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

$41.62 MYR 165

$39.05 MYR 155

6.58%

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

$8.92 MYR 35.38

$10.11 MYR 40.09

-11.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 MYR 92.6

$30.91 MYR 123

-24.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 144

$32.17 MYR 128

12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.71

$5.41 MYR 21.44

10.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.75

$4.92 MYR 19.49

1.22%

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

$188 MYR 747

$240 MYR 950

-21.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,924 MYR 27.5K

$6,110 MYR 24.2K

13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 MYR 252

$55.5 MYR 220

14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.35 MYR 112

$28.97 MYR 115

-2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 MYR 234

$60.7 MYR 241

-2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.22 MYR 195

$52.0 MYR 206

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,505

$388 MYR 1,539

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,070

$229 MYR 909

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$638 MYR 2,530

1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,867

$513 MYR 2,034

-8.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,108 MYR 8,360

$2,318 MYR 9,190

-9.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$899 MYR 3,566

$1,180 MYR 4,678

-23.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$894 MYR 3,545

$949 MYR 3,762

-5.76%

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 Sentul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Sentul and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 6% 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: $19.00 in Sentul vs $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $285 per month, with Sentul 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

Sentul vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sentul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 6% 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: $379 in Sentul versus $388 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sentul – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $832 per month in Sentul versus $850 in Penang – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $832 in Sentul versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sentul but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Sentul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sentul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Penang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sentul 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 Sentul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.