Penang vs Singapore Cost of Living
Penang (Malaysia) · Overall index 26.7 — Singapore (Singapore) · Overall index 78.2
Summary
- Overall, Singapore is 193% more expensive than Penang.
- Rent in Singapore is 507% more expensive than in Penang.
- Transport in Singapore is 184% more expensive than in Penang.
| Item | Penang | Singapore | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +507% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $483 | $2,802 | +480% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $300 | $1,887 | +529% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $900 | $6,049 | +572% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $631 | $3,490 | +453% |
| Groceries | +150% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.43 | $1.1 | +156% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.46 | $3.89 | +166% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.75 | $4.33 | +147% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.79 | $3.94 | +120% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.05 | $12.9 | +155% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $12.2 | +152% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.87 | $19.3 | +181% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.09 | $4.93 | +136% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.77 | $1.96 | +155% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.57 | $4.02 | +156% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2 | $5.53 | +177% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.16 | $2.84 | +145% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $2.66 | +133% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.95 | $2.3 | +142% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.89 | $2.14 | +140% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.95 | $14.8 | +149% |
| Transport | +184% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.85 | $2.23 | +162% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $36.7 | $99.1 | +170% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.13 | $3.23 | +186% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.57 | $1.75 | +207% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.27 | $0.78 | +189% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,576 | $24,838 | +190% |
| Dining out | +171% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.46 | $21.6 | +190% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $33.2 | $105 | +216% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4 | $9.73 | +143% |
| Cappuccino | $1.84 | $4.28 | +133% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.81 | $2.2 | +172% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.51 | $6.69 | +167% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.65 | $7.94 | +200% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.69 | $1.82 | +164% |
| Telecom | +90% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $25.2 | $53.2 | +111% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.1 | $55.4 | +73% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.16 | $0.32 | +100% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.13 | $12.9 | +81% |
| Utilities & household | +149% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $61.1 | $158 | +159% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.22 | +175% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.73 | $4.04 | +134% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.59 | $1.24 | +110% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.9 | $19.2 | +143% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34.1 | $80.6 | +136% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.59 | $14.4 | +158% |
| Men's haircut | $10.5 | $28.1 | +168% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.49 | $24.6 | +159% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $720 | $1,858 | +158% |
3,060 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs