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: $918 in Setia Alam versus $849 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Setia Alam versus $1,356 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,872 in Setia Alam versus $1,863 in Penang.

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 8% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Setia Alam 31% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$3.14 MYR 12.85

45.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 MYR 97.4

$21.56 MYR 88.2

10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$4.18 MYR 17.10

11.96%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.20

$2.95 MYR 12.05

1.02%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.69 MYR 2.81

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.34 MYR 1.37

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$4.38 MYR 17.91

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 MYR 24.63

$4.54 MYR 18.59

32.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.96 MYR 8.00

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$2.03 MYR 8.30

-18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$17.29 MYR 70.7

-72.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 MYR 16.33

$5.23 MYR 21.41

-23.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MYR 38.95

$14.76 MYR 60.4

-35.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

$2.79 MYR 11.40

-52.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.42

$1.46 MYR 5.99

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$2.61 MYR 10.69

-48.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-34.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.18 MYR 4.81

3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.16 MYR 4.74

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MYR 2.34

$0.91 MYR 3.72

-37.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.45 MYR 1.85

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$4.30 MYR 17.58

-2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 MYR 78.2

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$2.70 MYR 11.03

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 17.24

$3.41 MYR 13.94

23.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.46 MYR 1.87

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 MYR 47.92

$17.34 MYR 70.9

-32.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$0.68 MYR 2.80

72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$0.53 MYR 2.17

107.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$6.89 MYR 28.19

-32.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

23.04%

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

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

18.01%

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

$59.1 MYR 242

$38.52 MYR 158

53.35%

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

$10.73 MYR 43.87

$10.16 MYR 41.54

5.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.60 MYR 105

$31.68 MYR 130

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 MYR 224

$32.43 MYR 133

68.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$5.57 MYR 22.80

-57.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.62

$4.89 MYR 20.01

3.07%

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

$196 MYR 800

$238 MYR 973

-17.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

50.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 244

$54.3 MYR 222

9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 MYR 102

$29.23 MYR 120

-15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 352

$61.8 MYR 253

39.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$52.6 MYR 215

2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$380 MYR 1,553

30.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,247

$222 MYR 910

37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MYR 3,422

$641 MYR 2,620

30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,185

$516 MYR 2,111

3.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,300

$2,245 MYR 9,183

-9.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 MYR 4,806

$1,168 MYR 4,779

0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,149 MYR 4,698

$921 MYR 3,765

24.77%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Setia Alam and $380 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 25% 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: $24.00 in Setia Alam vs $22.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Setia Alam, 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: $495 in Setia Alam versus $380 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 $22.00 versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Setia Alam versus $849 in Penang – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $849 in Penang versus $918 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 8% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.