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: $982 in Setia Alam versus $859 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,469 in Setia Alam versus $1,322 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,956 in Setia Alam versus $1,786 in Penang.

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 14% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Setia Alam 29% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$3.75 MYR 15.11

29.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$19.54 MYR 78.8

25.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$4.75 MYR 19.18

1.47%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$3.07 MYR 12.38

5.21%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$0.73 MYR 2.96

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.37 MYR 1.49

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$4.17 MYR 16.81

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$4.41 MYR 17.80

39.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$1.82 MYR 7.33

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$1.06 MYR 4.26

-27.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.80 MYR 7.26

-41.11%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$2.21 MYR 8.90

-19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$13.29 MYR 53.6

-61.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$4.53 MYR 18.27

-5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$8.86 MYR 35.72

8.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$2.92 MYR 11.78

-52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.69 MYR 6.82

12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$2.60 MYR 10.47

-47.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$1.48 MYR 5.97

3.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$1.07 MYR 4.31

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$1.11 MYR 4.47

21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$1.11 MYR 4.48

-43.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.54 MYR 2.16

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$4.54 MYR 18.33

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$19.01 MYR 76.7

2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$3.01 MYR 12.15

16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$4.13 MYR 16.64

17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.48 MYR 1.94

47.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$12.59 MYR 50.8

-3.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$1.76 MYR 7.11

-27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.42 MYR 1.68

202.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$7.59 MYR 30.61

-34.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$0.87 MYR 3.52

-24.14%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$43.1K MYR 173.7K

-3.33%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$34.8K MYR 140.3K

0.17%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$38.08 MYR 154

65.52%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$10.06 MYR 40.56

-9.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$29.46 MYR 119

-9.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$38.74 MYR 156

47.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$4.90 MYR 19.76

33.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$5.10 MYR 20.57

4.12%

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

$176 MYR 711

$438 MYR 1,767

-59.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$10.7K MYR 43.1K

4.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$61.4 MYR 247

19.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$35.89 MYR 145

-28.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$85.1 MYR 343

6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$69.6 MYR 281

-20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$409 MYR 1,650

31.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$237 MYR 957

33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$573 MYR 2,311

52.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$418 MYR 1,688

31.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$2,246 MYR 9,060

-8.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$1,081 MYR 4,359

2.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$928 MYR 3,742

24.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.24

-2.83%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Setia Alam and $409 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: $24.00 in Setia Alam vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $254, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $536 in Setia Alam 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Setia Alam versus $859 in Penang – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $859 in Penang versus $982 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 14% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.