Malaysia
A Malaysian island renowned as Southeast Asia's street food capital, with a UNESCO-listed George Town full of colonial architecture, murals, and temple-lined streets.
#196 of 250
71% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 412
Based on NYC = 100 index
Total does not include Housing & Utilities — no scraped prices there (N/A)
Penang is the 196. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 412 for one adult.
Most of that goes on basic grocery basket, which runs 12% above the median city and adds $ 18 a month: chicken breast (1kg) $ 8, pork (1kg) $ 13.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is healthcare, 71% below the median: doctor visit (15 min) $ 9, cold medicine (6 days) $ 2. You also get off lightly on restaurants, transportation.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
38 prices on this page come from live scrapers (8 sources, observed October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Penang, Malaysia. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/penang. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3BR Apartment (city-wide) | 562.78 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian property portals (per-listing) |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 8.14 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Pork (1kg) | 12.64 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Beef (1kg) | 12.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 17.59 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 26.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Milk (1 liter) | 2.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.60 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Cheese (1kg) | 11.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Butter (200g) | 3.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Eggs (12) | 2.32 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bread (500g) | 0.91 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Oats (500g) | 1.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.11 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.98 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 4.84 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.66 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Garlic (1kg) | 2.85 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Apples (1kg) | 3.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Lentils (1kg) | 2.76 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 1.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 3.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Flour (1kg) | 3.98 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Sugar (1kg) | 0.72 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Coffee (250g) | 9.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.39 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.14 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | National fuel price sources |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 44.04 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Gym Chains |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 2.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Online Pharmacies (API) |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 36.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 31.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 123.96 / pair | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Nike.com (live), Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 54.98 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-07 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Peru
Similar share of Basic Grocery Basket & Clothing · compared on 6 of 8 categories
Malaysia
Similar share of Basic Grocery Basket & Clothing · compared on 6 of 8 categories
Morocco
Similar share of Transportation & Clothing · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Saudi Arabia
Similar share of Transportation & Clothing · compared on 6 of 8 categories
Monthly average costs by category
N/A
$ 165
per month
$ 120
per month
$ 40
per month
N/A
$ 56
per month
$ 5
per month
$ 26
per month