Penang vs Seoul Cost of Living
Penang (Malaysia) · Overall index 26.7 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 100% more expensive than Penang.
- Rent in Seoul is 167% more expensive than in Penang.
- Transport in Seoul is 113% more expensive than in Penang.
| Item | Penang | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +167% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $483 | $1,128 | +134% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $300 | $885 | +195% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $900 | $2,631 | +192% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $631 | $1,576 | +150% |
| Groceries | +93% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.43 | $0.97 | +126% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.46 | $3.03 | +108% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.75 | $3.33 | +90% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.79 | $3.32 | +85% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.05 | $9.47 | +88% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $8.39 | +73% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.87 | $14.8 | +115% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.09 | $4.15 | +99% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.77 | $1.53 | +99% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.57 | $3.36 | +114% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2 | $3.73 | +87% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.16 | $2.22 | +91% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $1.86 | +63% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.95 | $1.71 | +80% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.89 | $1.67 | +88% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.95 | $11.7 | +97% |
| Transport | +113% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.85 | $1.68 | +98% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $36.7 | $68.9 | +88% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.13 | $2.76 | +144% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.57 | $1.34 | +135% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.27 | $0.53 | +96% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,576 | $18,844 | +120% |
| Dining out | +104% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.46 | $14.8 | +98% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $33.2 | $84.8 | +155% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4 | $7.96 | +99% |
| Cappuccino | $1.84 | $3.11 | +69% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.81 | $1.89 | +133% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.51 | $4.53 | +80% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.65 | $5.53 | +109% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.69 | $1.43 | +107% |
| Telecom | +55% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $25.2 | $45.1 | +79% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.1 | $47.3 | +47% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.16 | $0.22 | +38% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.13 | $11.3 | +58% |
| Utilities & household | +91% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $61.1 | $130 | +113% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.16 | +100% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.73 | $3.13 | +81% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.59 | $1.03 | +75% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.9 | $15.9 | +101% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34.1 | $60.9 | +79% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.59 | $9.46 | +69% |
| Men's haircut | $10.5 | $22.9 | +118% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.49 | $16.6 | +75% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $720 | $1,561 | +117% |
3,145 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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