Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Kuala Lumpur 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Kuala Lumpur is 5.7% higher than in Penang (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Kuala Lumpur is 12.7% higher than in Penang | |
| Rent Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 46.9% higher than in Penang | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 18.8% higher than in Penang | |
| Groceries Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 8.1% lower than in Penang | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Kuala Lumpur is 8.5% higher than in Penang | |
Restaurants | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 12.50 RM | 18.00 RM | +44.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 RM | 120.00 RM | +20.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 18.00 RM | 20.00 RM | +11.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 18.00 RM | 19.00 RM | +5.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 18.00 RM | 25.00 RM | +38.9 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 12.62 RM | 12.87 RM | +2.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.95 RM | 3.79 RM | +28.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.50 RM | 2.30 RM | +53.6 % |
Markets | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 29.69 RM | 32.49 RM | +9.4 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.89 RM | 3.91 RM | +0.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 3.85 RM | 3.15 RM | -18.1 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 8.88 RM | 9.42 RM | +6.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 33.34 RM | 28.10 RM | -15.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 10.05 RM | 8.85 RM | -12.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 28.46 RM | 17.81 RM | -37.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.48 RM | 5.66 RM | +3.3 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 2.86 RM | 3.06 RM | +7.1 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.10 RM | 5.12 RM | +0.3 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 4.12 RM | 2.79 RM | -32.2 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.24 RM | 2.24 RM | +0.2 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 2.29 RM | 2.57 RM | +12.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 3.94 RM | 5.06 RM | +28.5 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.00 RM | 2.74 RM | +36.9 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 60.00 RM | 75.00 RM | +25.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 11.32 RM | 14.04 RM | +24.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 14.62 RM | 18.41 RM | +25.9 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 18.00 RM | 18.00 RM | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.00 RM | 3.00 RM | +50.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 RM | 50.00 RM | -33.3 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 RM | 5.00 RM | +66.7 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.70 RM | 8.05 RM | +117.4 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 30.00 RM | 20.00 RM | -33.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.76 RM | 7.94 RM | +2.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 142,500.00 RM | 170,000.00 RM | +19.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 116,533.33 RM | 137,407.69 RM | +17.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 164.05 RM | 270.21 RM | +64.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 43.00 RM | 58.33 RM | +35.7 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 132.64 RM | 110.34 RM | -16.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 139.00 RM | 198.25 RM | +42.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 23.33 RM | 32.69 RM | +40.1 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 21.00 RM | 22.00 RM | +4.8 % |
Childcare | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,010.00 RM | 1,156.52 RM | +14.5 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 26,300.00 RM | 39,583.33 RM | +50.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 232.50 RM | 255.62 RM | +9.9 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 122.50 RM | 158.76 RM | +29.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 260.00 RM | 364.45 RM | +40.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 223.75 RM | 341.82 RM | +52.8 % |
Rent Per Month | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,641.67 RM | 2,333.58 RM | +42.1 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 958.33 RM | 1,496.00 RM | +56.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,728.57 RM | 4,521.88 RM | +65.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,214.29 RM | 2,668.57 RM | +20.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,032.40 RM | 1,174.57 RM | +13.8 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 735.13 RM | 578.52 RM | -21.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Penang Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,588.75 RM | 5,612.45 RM | +22.3 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.16 | 4.46 | +7.4 % |
| Last update: | April 2025 | May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 36 | 258 |
Moving to Penang? Explore:
Cities near Penang: | Cost of Living in Butterworth | 15.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bukit Mertajam | 17.71 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kulim | 25.74 miles |
| Cost of Living in Jeniang | 58.42 miles |
| Cost of Living in Taiping | 62.60 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kedah | 70.34 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alor Setar | 70.78 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gerik | 85.30 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ipoh | 97.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kampar | 103.24 miles |
Cities near Kuala Lumpur: | Cost of Living in Petaling Jaya | 10.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Subang Jaya | 14.23 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gombak | 17.86 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kuala Selangor | 41.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Seremban | 42.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malacca | 88.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tangkak | 100.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kampar | 104.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Muar | 113.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bandar Penggaram | 148.06 miles |