Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Sibu versus $850 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Sibu versus $1,359 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Sibu versus $1,868 in Penang.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 3% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibu 39% lower, Penang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$3.11 MYR 12.48

-32.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$20.86 MYR 83.7

-59.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$4.14 MYR 16.61

-3.38%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$2.83 MYR 11.35

-24.73%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$0.74 MYR 2.96

-18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.36 MYR 1.45

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$4.39 MYR 17.60

-35.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$4.45 MYR 17.83

11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.90 MYR 7.61

-26.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$0.99 MYR 3.96

34.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$1.96 MYR 7.87

-38.78%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$2.14 MYR 8.56

-27.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$17.10 MYR 68.6

-12.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$5.07 MYR 20.34

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$14.51 MYR 58.2

-59.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$2.77 MYR 11.12

9.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.52 MYR 6.08

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$2.60 MYR 10.42

-28.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$2.12 MYR 8.51

64.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$1.13 MYR 4.52

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$1.21 MYR 4.85

90.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$0.95 MYR 3.82

4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.49 MYR 1.97

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$4.14 MYR 16.60

-4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$19.79 MYR 79.4

-8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$2.60 MYR 10.42

-53.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$3.51 MYR 14.09

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.46 MYR 1.83

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$18.00 MYR 72.2

-34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$0.68 MYR 2.72

76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$0.54 MYR 2.18

81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$6.98 MYR 28.00

-16.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 2.02

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$34.0K MYR 136.3K

2.14%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$27.0K MYR 108.1K

16.29%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$39.05 MYR 157

12.50%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$10.11 MYR 40.55

-49.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$30.91 MYR 124

-40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$32.17 MYR 129

-27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$5.41 MYR 21.68

7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$4.92 MYR 19.71

-37.20%

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

$190 MYR 762

$240 MYR 961

-20.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$6,110 MYR 24.5K

14.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$55.5 MYR 223

9.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$28.97 MYR 116

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$60.7 MYR 243

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$52.0 MYR 209

-3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$388 MYR 1,557

-1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$229 MYR 919

18.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$638 MYR 2,559

1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$513 MYR 2,057

-9.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$2,318 MYR 9,295

-4.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$1,180 MYR 4,731

-26.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$949 MYR 3,805

-46.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

4.16

2.16%

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

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Sibu and $388 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 86% 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: $8.00 in Sibu vs $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $285 per month, with Sibu 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

Sibu vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 86% 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: $384 in Sibu versus $388 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibu – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $821 per month in Sibu versus $850 in Penang – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Sibu versus $850 in Penang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Penang. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sibu 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, Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.