Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Penang 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Penang are 7.2% lower than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Penang are 12.1% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Rent Prices in Penang are 27.7% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Penang are 21.4% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Penang are 3.4% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Penang is 24.6% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
Restaurants | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 RM | 10.00 RM | -33.3 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 RM | 60.00 RM | -40.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 18.00 RM | 18.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 17.50 RM | 15.00 RM | -14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 20.00 RM | 18.00 RM | -10.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 12.07 RM | 12.88 RM | +6.7 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.68 RM | 2.17 RM | -19.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.71 RM | 1.69 RM | -1.0 % |
Markets | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 28.25 RM | 27.29 RM | -3.4 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.28 RM | 3.62 RM | +10.7 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.74 RM | 2.46 RM | -10.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 7.89 RM | 7.40 RM | -6.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 18.01 RM | 23.70 RM | +31.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 7.95 RM | 10.65 RM | +34.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 19.38 RM | 15.79 RM | -18.6 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.42 RM | 4.38 RM | -19.1 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 3.01 RM | 2.62 RM | -12.8 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.56 RM | 4.54 RM | -18.4 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.79 RM | 2.19 RM | -21.6 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.92 RM | 1.36 RM | -29.1 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.80 RM | 1.74 RM | -3.5 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 3.96 RM | 4.60 RM | +16.1 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.83 RM | 1.65 RM | -41.7 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 67.50 RM | 70.00 RM | +3.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 11.27 RM | 9.73 RM | -13.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 15.50 RM | 13.94 RM | -10.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 18.00 RM | 18.50 RM | +2.8 % |
Transportation | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 RM | 2.00 RM | -33.3 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 70.00 RM | 80.00 RM | +14.3 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 5.00 RM | 5.50 RM | +10.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 8.05 RM | 2.90 RM | -64.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 15.00 RM | 30.00 RM | +100.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.93 RM | 7.87 RM | -0.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 157,500.00 RM | 170,000.00 RM | +7.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 129,278.11 RM | 128,981.33 RM | -0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 231.61 RM | 223.24 RM | -3.6 % |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.45 RM | 0.25 RM | -44.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 111.06 RM | 125.36 RM | +12.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 182.15 RM | 123.75 RM | -32.1 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 35.00 RM | 16.67 RM | -52.4 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 20.00 RM | 15.00 RM | -25.0 % |
Childcare | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,086.36 RM | 762.50 RM | -29.8 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 35,404.71 RM | 27,800.00 RM | -21.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 198.72 RM | 300.00 RM | +51.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 125.57 RM | 122.00 RM | -2.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 294.97 RM | 300.00 RM | +1.7 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 279.57 RM | 325.00 RM | +16.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,112.50 RM | 1,444.00 RM | -31.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,271.79 RM | 1,206.25 RM | -5.2 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,396.88 RM | 2,560.00 RM | -41.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,325.81 RM | 2,100.00 RM | -9.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 909.95 RM | 787.57 RM | -13.4 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 491.69 RM | 553.75 RM | +12.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Penang Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,733.61 RM | 3,800.00 RM | -33.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 3.58 | 3.51 | -1.7 % |
| Last update: | February 2023 | February 2023 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 315 | 40 |
Moving to Penang? Explore:
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 Seremban | 42.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malacca | 88.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Muar | 113.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bandar Penggaram | 148.06 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kuantan | 155.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ipoh | 158.61 miles |
| Cost of Living in Selangor | 178.55 miles |
Cities near Penang: | Cost of Living in George Town | 0.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bayan Lepas | 10.19 miles |
| 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 Serdang | 43.43 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 |