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: $928 in Skudai versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,343 in Skudai versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Skudai versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Skudai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skudai 33% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.21

$3.73 MYR 15.14

0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 MYR 89.3

$20.03 MYR 81.3

9.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 MYR 19.79

$4.83 MYR 19.61

1.04%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.64

$2.94 MYR 11.91

-2.38%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.71 MYR 2.89

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.39 MYR 1.59

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 MYR 13.90

$4.22 MYR 17.12

-18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 MYR 23.70

$4.50 MYR 18.27

29.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.12

$1.79 MYR 7.24

-2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$1.09 MYR 4.43

-5.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.07

$1.73 MYR 7.03

-13.29%

Eggs

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$2.23 MYR 9.03

-23.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 39.10

$13.37 MYR 54.3

-27.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.07

$4.37 MYR 17.73

-26.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.23

$9.00 MYR 36.50

10.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.58

$2.87 MYR 11.64

16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.70 MYR 6.88

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$2.61 MYR 10.61

6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.66

$1.46 MYR 5.93

12.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.78

$1.13 MYR 4.57

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$1.17 MYR 4.75

49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.11 MYR 4.50

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.91

$4.54 MYR 18.40

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 57.9

$19.54 MYR 79.3

-27.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$2.91 MYR 11.81

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.28

$3.98 MYR 16.15

-23.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.48 MYR 1.93

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.5

$12.28 MYR 49.81

1.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$1.70 MYR 6.91

-27.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MYR 38.11

$7.61 MYR 30.89

23.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.95

$0.84 MYR 3.39

-13.10%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.1K

$41.6K MYR 168.8K

2.59%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.2K

$34.7K MYR 141.0K

-4.81%

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

$49.43 MYR 201

$37.45 MYR 152

31.99%

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

$8.43 MYR 34.20

$9.83 MYR 39.90

-14.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MYR 108

$29.72 MYR 121

-10.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 MYR 168

$38.51 MYR 156

7.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.56 MYR 26.60

$4.81 MYR 19.51

36.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.59

$5.31 MYR 21.53

-4.33%

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

$162 MYR 657

$435 MYR 1,765

-62.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,558 MYR 18.5K

$10.7K MYR 43.3K

-57.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MYR 214

$60.3 MYR 244

-12.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.99 MYR 68.9

$34.72 MYR 141

-51.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 323

$85.3 MYR 346

-6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.41 MYR 168

$70.8 MYR 287

-41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,732

$399 MYR 1,619

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,354

$228 MYR 926

46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 MYR 2,808

$591 MYR 2,400

17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,014

$417 MYR 1,690

19.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,062 MYR 8,366

$2,235 MYR 9,069

-7.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,140 MYR 4,626

$1,068 MYR 4,335

6.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 MYR 3,744

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.24

-4.25%

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

Last update for Skudai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Skudai and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Skudai vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $255, with Skudai 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

Skudai vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,391 in Skudai and $1,270 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: $427 in Skudai versus $399 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 $22.00 in Skudai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $928 per month in Skudai versus $846 in Penang – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Skudai, 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Skudai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.