Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Setia Alam versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Setia Alam versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,842 in Setia Alam versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 9% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Setia Alam 31% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MYR 18.31

$3.11 MYR 12.42

47.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 MYR 92.4

$20.86 MYR 83.2

10.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.32

$4.14 MYR 16.53

16.91%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.50

$2.83 MYR 11.29

10.60%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.56

$0.74 MYR 2.95

20.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.47

$0.36 MYR 1.44

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.99

$4.39 MYR 17.51

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MYR 22.91

$4.45 MYR 17.75

28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.16

$1.90 MYR 7.57

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$0.99 MYR 3.94

-31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.91

$1.96 MYR 7.83

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$2.14 MYR 8.52

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.44

$17.10 MYR 68.2

-72.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 MYR 15.63

$5.07 MYR 20.24

-22.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 37.69

$14.51 MYR 57.9

-34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.29

$2.77 MYR 11.06

-52.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.34

$1.52 MYR 6.05

4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.14

$2.60 MYR 10.36

-50.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.71

$2.12 MYR 8.47

-32.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.93

$1.13 MYR 4.50

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.07

$1.21 MYR 4.83

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$0.95 MYR 3.80

-35.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.24

$0.49 MYR 1.96

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.20

$4.14 MYR 16.52

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 MYR 79.6

$19.79 MYR 79.0

0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 MYR 12.90

$2.60 MYR 10.37

24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.05

$3.51 MYR 14.02

21.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.46 MYR 1.82

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 47.61

$18.00 MYR 71.8

-33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$0.68 MYR 2.71

70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$0.54 MYR 2.17

111.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.42

$6.98 MYR 27.86

-33.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.01

-4.00%

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

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

$34.0K MYR 135.6K

15.63%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

$27.0K MYR 107.6K

19.48%

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

$58.1 MYR 232

$39.05 MYR 156

48.66%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.26

$10.11 MYR 40.34

4.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 MYR 103

$30.91 MYR 123

-16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MYR 223

$32.17 MYR 128

73.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 MYR 9.37

$5.41 MYR 21.57

-56.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 MYR 20.39

$4.92 MYR 19.62

3.86%

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

$193 MYR 769

$240 MYR 956

-19.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

$6,110 MYR 24.4K

56.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 245

$55.5 MYR 221

10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 MYR 98.6

$28.97 MYR 116

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 337

$60.7 MYR 242

39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 208

0.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 1,979

$388 MYR 1,549

27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,233

$229 MYR 915

34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 MYR 3,252

$638 MYR 2,546

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MYR 2,091

$513 MYR 2,047

2.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 MYR 7,840

$2,318 MYR 9,248

-15.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,955

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-15.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 MYR 4,708

$949 MYR 3,786

24.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.16

-0.96%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Setia Alam and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 24% 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: $23.00 in Setia Alam vs $21.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $285, with Setia Alam 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

Setia Alam vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Setia Alam pays 24% more on average, 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: $496 in Setia Alam versus $388 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 $23.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $927 per month in Setia Alam versus $850 in Penang – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $850 in Penang versus $927 in Setia Alam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Setia Alam. 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 Setia Alam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Setia Alam 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 9% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.