Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ulu Tiram versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,901 in Penang.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulu Tiram 38% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$3.04 MYR 12.34

16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.65 MYR 75.6

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.66

$4.33 MYR 17.57

12.01%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-5.44%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.68 MYR 2.78

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.36 MYR 1.48

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.47

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 27.43

$4.46 MYR 18.10

51.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.55

$1.81 MYR 7.32

2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-7.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.22

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-36.45%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.72

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.86

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-37.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 MYR 16.06

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-23.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 MYR 32.93

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-46.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.20

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.47 MYR 5.96

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.35

$2.57 MYR 10.43

-0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-40.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.75

$1.18 MYR 4.79

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.16 MYR 4.71

13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$0.95 MYR 3.87

-2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.53

$0.49 MYR 1.97

26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.66

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-5.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MYR 69.8

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.17

$2.62 MYR 10.61

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.18

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.45 MYR 1.82

51.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-31.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$0.69 MYR 2.80

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$0.54 MYR 2.21

81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.90

$7.20 MYR 29.19

29.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.47 MYR 1.89

6.38%

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

$35.3K MYR 143.1K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

7.19%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.4K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

21.53%

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

$45.96 MYR 186

$38.60 MYR 157

19.07%

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

$9.33 MYR 37.82

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-7.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.60 MYR 124

$31.44 MYR 127

-2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.60 MYR 152

$33.04 MYR 134

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.72 MYR 23.19

$5.42 MYR 21.97

5.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.32

$4.91 MYR 19.90

2.04%

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

$188 MYR 763

$238 MYR 963

-20.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,893 MYR 27.9K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

11.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 MYR 259

$54.6 MYR 221

17.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.00 MYR 77.0

$28.39 MYR 115

-33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 MYR 284

$60.5 MYR 245

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.07 MYR 191

$53.5 MYR 217

-11.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$387 MYR 1,569

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,083

$230 MYR 933

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$640 MYR 2,597

-0.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,914

$525 MYR 2,131

-10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 MYR 8,025

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-12.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 MYR 3,938

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-18.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$863 MYR 3,500

$951 MYR 3,858

-9.26%

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 Ulu Tiram: June 8, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Ulu Tiram and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 10% 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: $19.00 in Ulu Tiram vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $287 per month, with Ulu Tiram 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

Ulu Tiram vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Penang earns 10% 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: $387 in Ulu Tiram versus $387 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulu Tiram – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $840 per month in Ulu Tiram versus $869 in Penang – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ulu Tiram gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ulu Tiram 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, Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram 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.