Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Skudai versus $854 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Skudai versus $1,396 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Skudai versus $1,938 in Penang.

Living in Skudai costs roughly 5% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skudai 40% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$3.03 MYR 11.97

14.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.65 MYR 73.7

$21.23 MYR 83.9

-12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 MYR 18.40

$4.12 MYR 16.28

13.11%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 11.77

$2.95 MYR 11.64

1.02%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.72 MYR 2.86

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.34 MYR 1.33

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 13.84

$4.46 MYR 17.63

-21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 MYR 19.43

$4.52 MYR 17.87

8.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$1.84 MYR 7.26

1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$2.02 MYR 7.99

-38.12%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.41

$2.11 MYR 8.32

-10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.65

$16.98 MYR 67.1

-37.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$5.17 MYR 20.41

-31.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 MYR 33.02

$14.61 MYR 57.7

-42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 10.96

$2.93 MYR 11.56

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.97

$1.45 MYR 5.73

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.87

$2.68 MYR 10.57

-6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.74

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-44.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.71

$1.15 MYR 4.53

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.32

$1.22 MYR 4.83

10.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.50

$0.97 MYR 3.83

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.48 MYR 1.91

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$4.14 MYR 16.35

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.38 MYR 56.8

$19.42 MYR 76.7

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$2.63 MYR 10.40

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MYR 11.61

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-16.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$0.48 MYR 1.91

54.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$17.59 MYR 69.5

-32.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$0.72 MYR 2.86

40.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$0.54 MYR 2.13

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 37.55

$7.28 MYR 28.74

30.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-4.08%

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

$31.5K MYR 124.4K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

-6.67%

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

$27.6K MYR 109.1K

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

0.38%

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

$40.65 MYR 161

$38.68 MYR 153

5.09%

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

$9.35 MYR 36.95

$10.06 MYR 39.73

-7.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 89.6

$31.12 MYR 123

-27.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 MYR 146

$32.54 MYR 129

13.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 23.68

$5.65 MYR 22.32

6.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.05

$5.04 MYR 19.89

0.79%

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

$190 MYR 750

$236 MYR 931

-19.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,814 MYR 26.9K

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.26 MYR 195

$54.4 MYR 215

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 73.5

$29.20 MYR 115

-36.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 MYR 237

$62.4 MYR 247

-3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 MYR 186

$53.1 MYR 210

-11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,527

$381 MYR 1,503

1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,071

$225 MYR 890

20.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,507

$643 MYR 2,539

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,868

$516 MYR 2,036

-8.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 MYR 6,923

$2,303 MYR 9,095

-23.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MYR 3,477

$1,192 MYR 4,709

-26.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 MYR 3,792

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Skudai: April 21, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Skudai and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Skudai vs $21 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $285 per month, with Skudai 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

Skudai vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skudai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,213 in Skudai and $1,281 in Penang to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Skudai versus $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Skudai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $809 per month in Skudai versus $854 in Penang – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Skudai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Skudai 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, Skudai 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 Skudai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.