🇲🇾 Southeast Asia
Penang, Malaysia
Southeast Asia ✓ Live Numbeo data See Malaysia country profile →
George Town food capital; MM2H visa option; cheaper than KL. Thin sample (23 contributors)
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Penang climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 59,989 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 248 Mbps | 141 Mbps | 8 ms | 36,788 |
| Mobile | 203 Mbps | 34.9 Mbps | 24 ms | 23,201 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 4.068 MYR, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | $522 | MYR 2,123 |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | $927 | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | $1,920 | MYR 7,811 |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $929 | MYR 3,781 |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $405 | MYR 1,648 |
| 1BR outside center | $231 | MYR 939 |
| 3BR city center | $578 | MYR 2,352 |
| 3BR outside center | $467 | MYR 1,898 |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $209 | MYR 849 |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $108 | MYR 439 |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $3.69 | MYR 15.00 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $19.67 | MYR 80.00 |
| Fast food combo | $4.42 | MYR 18.00 |
| Beef (per lb) | $3.95 | MYR 16.07 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $0.63 | MYR 2.57 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $37 | MYR 152 |
| Phone plan / mo | $10 | MYR 40.53 |
| Internet / mo | $30 | MYR 121 |
| Gym membership / mo | $39 | MYR 159 |
| Cinema ticket | $5.16 | MYR 21.00 |
| Preschool / mo | $427 | MYR 1,738 |
| International school / yr | $10,763 | MYR 43,786 |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $41,927 | MYR 170,560 |
Visa, taxes & legal in Malaysia
Country-level research that applies to living in Penang — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Tourist entry (US passport) | 90 days visa-free |
| Digital nomad visa | DE Rantau Nomad Pass — income requirement $24,000/yr (~$2,000/mo) for tech; $60,000/yr for non-tech roles — compare all countries → |
| Path to permanent residency | No practical PR path from either |
| Tax if you become resident | Territorial-leaning ⭐ system · top rate 30% top — tax breakdown → |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 5/10 · cross-border collection 3/10 — legal detail → |
Everything about the country in one place: Malaysia profile for American nomads →
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo