Penang vs Bangkok Cost of Living
Penang (Malaysia) · Overall index 26.7 — Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1
Summary
- Overall, Bangkok is 35% more expensive than Penang.
- Rent in Bangkok is 77% more expensive than in Penang.
- Groceries in Bangkok is 34% more expensive than in Penang.
| Item | Penang | Bangkok | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +77% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $483 | $785 | +63% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $300 | $630 | +110% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $900 | $1,512 | +68% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $631 | $1,069 | +69% |
| Groceries | +34% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.43 | $0.61 | +42% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.46 | $2.14 | +47% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.75 | $2.56 | +46% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.79 | $2.53 | +41% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.05 | $6.93 | +37% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $6.15 | +27% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.87 | $10.3 | +50% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.09 | $2.84 | +36% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.77 | $0.93 | +21% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.57 | $2.4 | +53% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2 | $2.38 | +19% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.16 | $1.38 | +19% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $1.39 | +22% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.95 | $1.2 | +26% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.89 | $1.22 | +37% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.95 | $7.66 | +29% |
| Transport | +29% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.85 | $1.01 | +19% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $36.7 | $44.6 | +22% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.13 | $1.59 | +41% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.57 | $0.81 | +42% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.27 | $0.37 | +37% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,576 | $10,133 | +18% |
| Dining out | +29% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.46 | $8.84 | +18% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $33.2 | $47.5 | +43% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4 | $5.21 | +30% |
| Cappuccino | $1.84 | $2.15 | +17% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.81 | $1.11 | +37% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.51 | $3.3 | +31% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.65 | $3.74 | +41% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.69 | $0.78 | +13% |
| Telecom | +20% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $25.2 | $33.4 | +33% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.1 | $37.1 | +16% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.16 | $0.19 | +19% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.13 | $8.29 | +16% |
| Utilities & household | +29% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $61.1 | $81.5 | +33% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.09 | +12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.73 | $2.32 | +34% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.59 | $0.67 | +14% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.9 | $10.8 | +37% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34.1 | $37.2 | +9% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.59 | $7.95 | +42% |
| Men's haircut | $10.5 | $15.5 | +48% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.49 | $12.7 | +34% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $720 | $991 | +38% |
3,298 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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