Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Penang

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $839 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Penang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seoul and in Penang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Seoul versus $839 in Penang.

Seoul $1,822
Penang $839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Seoul versus $1,314 in Penang.

Seoul $2,847
Penang $1,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,872 in Seoul versus $1,790 in Penang.

Seoul $3,872
Penang $1,790

Living in Seoul is roughly 117% more expensive than in Penang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Penang is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$3.58 MYR 14.65

154.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩90.0K

$19.84 MYR 81.1

237.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,964

$4.58 MYR 18.71

62.01%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,482

$3.04 MYR 12.42

34.21%

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

$1.60 ₩2,146

$0.73 MYR 2.98

119.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,081

$0.39 MYR 1.59

105.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,898

$4.18 MYR 17.07

-12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,974

$4.32 MYR 17.65

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,748

$1.89 MYR 7.72

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,139

$1.08 MYR 4.42

185.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,659

$1.77 MYR 7.24

137.85%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,795

$2.23 MYR 9.11

60.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$13.69 MYR 56.0

31.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$4.29 MYR 17.53

148.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.5K

$8.60 MYR 35.16

207.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,969

$3.04 MYR 12.43

144.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,743

$1.71 MYR 6.97

106.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,884

$2.67 MYR 10.91

119.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,554

$1.47 MYR 6.01

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,040

$1.09 MYR 4.47

244.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,345

$1.07 MYR 4.39

132.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,920

$1.14 MYR 4.67

156.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,545

$0.57 MYR 2.31

101.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,418

$4.62 MYR 18.89

-28.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$19.29 MYR 78.9

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,064

$2.93 MYR 11.96

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,408

$5.37 MYR 21.95

-38.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,529

$0.51 MYR 2.08

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩61.1K

$12.30 MYR 50.3

269.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,674

$1.75 MYR 7.17

98.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩805

$0.37 MYR 1.52

62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$7.27 MYR 29.72

19.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,008

$0.94 MYR 3.86

59.57%

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

$29.1K ₩39.1M

$41.0K MYR 167.4K

-28.91%

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

$28.2K ₩37.9M

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-19.15%

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

$209 ₩280.5K

$36.55 MYR 149

471.46%

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

$35.13 ₩47.2K

$9.97 MYR 40.75

252.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$29.32 MYR 120

-27.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩77.0K

$38.81 MYR 159

47.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$4.98 MYR 20.35

219.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$4.87 MYR 19.92

132.65%

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

$1,902 ₩2.6M

$430 MYR 1,757

342.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

108.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩79.1K

$60.3 MYR 246

-2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.1K

$35.26 MYR 144

-8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.2K

$83.5 MYR 341

-16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.8K

$69.8 MYR 285

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$402 MYR 1,643

120.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩837.5K

$232 MYR 950

168.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$621 MYR 2,537

301.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$410 MYR 1,678

210.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.1M

$2,212 MYR 9,045

1248.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$1,057 MYR 4,323

1020.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$943 MYR 3,855

286.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.04

0.99%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Penang: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Penang

$232 27.1% 62.7% $391

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Penang

$258 30.1% 46.1% $221

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Penang

$76 8.8% 71.4% $189

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Penang

$113 13.2% 38.6% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Penang

$112 13.1% 2.1% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Penang

$49 5.7% 39.3% $31

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Penang

$18 2.1% 68.2% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Seoul and $402 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 287% 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: $67.0 in Seoul vs $20.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $258 per month, with Penang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Penang

🕒 Local time

12:23 12:23 PM

11:23 11:23 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

158,336

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Penang 4,490 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Penang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Seoul vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 287% higher in Seoul, 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: $885 in Seoul versus $402 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 $67.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Seoul versus $839 in Penang – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $839 in Penang versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Seoul. 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 Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seoul 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 117% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.