The Cost Of Traveling And Living In Penang
Are you thinking of having Penang as your second home? Let’s show you the cost of traveling and living in Penang.
In this article, we are going to cover the cost of traveling and living in Penang.
Penang is one of the most beautiful and naturally-diverse islands in South East Asia
Fortunately, it’s also one of the least expensive.
Due to its natural beauty, amazing outdoor activities, infrastructure, UNESCO heritage, safety, delicious food, the most friendly locals, and a well-established ex-pat community, prices in Penang haven’t been rising year after year.
This island is a place undiscovered as per many of Thailand’s islands and has just as much and even more. So let’s show you the cost of traveling and living in Penang.
For that reason, it’s not uncommon for even the budget travelers to live like a King and Queen, Thus not having to only stay for short periods like Singapore and with the 3-month social visitor’s pass, which is FREE and stamped when you arrive.
Giving you plenty of time to explore Penang island, visit Langkawi and other Malay states. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (Negeri) and 3 federal territories.
To be honest, I was skeptical at first that I wouldn’t like Penang when I first visited Langkawi, as my thoughts just presumed another city in S.E.A. How wrong I was, first of all, it’s an island and a stunning island, that’s is very clean.
The locals say hello and are not just thinking of you as a walking ATM machine. You really do get the welcome feel from entering on a 3-month visa to that extra genuine smile and concern that wants to show off their gem.
Table of Contents
- How much did I Spend On My Trip. (I won’t be able to give you a ballpoint figure, as I’ve been in lockdown for a year here now, but as an example, still loving it and surviving!)
- Can You Do It Cheaper?
- Three Suggested Budgets
- Ways To Save Money.
- Penang Tip And Tricks FAQ
- Book Your Trip To Penang – Logical Tip And Tricks
The above covers the cost of traveling and living in Penang.
How Much Did I Spend
This differs from person to person remember, as we all have different tastes in life.
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This is a hard one as I was only going to stay possibly unto 3 months, however, the virus hit us and I’m still here after a year while writing this and I call myself fortunate, as it’s beautiful, I wake up to the sun every day and it’s an English spoken country, so I understand what is going on.
Therefore hence this article on the cost of traveling and living in Penang.
So I will give you a brought estimate over a month. So for the month, I’m averaging around 4,365 Ringgit per month or $1,075 dollars. (The exchange rate was about $1 USD = 4 Ringgit).
That works out to be an average of $35 USD per day. So, like in Singapore, I didn’t go over my budget. However, I often set my budgets low simply as motivation not to spend a lot of money. There are many reasons why I went under my budget, but let me break down my expenses first:
Food – 15.00 per day, ($450.00 USD) This can be a great deal cheaper if you cook in the house and buy from supermarkets such as Tesco’s or Food Storage ( A little, however, more expensive but I believe the better quality.
Alcohol – 405 Ringgit ($100 USD) Roughly 15 Ringgit per bottle of exported beers, tiger, Heineken in smaller places, hotels 20-25 Ringgit etc.
The cheapest price found was in small restaurants at 9 Ringgit. This is a high price for Malaysia and taxes on alcohol will affect the cost of traveling and living in Penang if you are a drinker.
Bottled water – 2.68 Ringgit ($40.20 USD) One Litre per 2nd day for the kettle.
Accommodation – $12 ($360.00 USD) Save up to 50 UK pounds through us! Even if you have an account, just use another email address!
Activities– 202 Ringgit ($50 USD) 4-6 entrance fees etc. Much to see which isn’t chargeable all over the island. Check out our Youtube channel
Local buses – Per trip, coastal road, didn’t need to use, but when I did use them (Ringgit 1.40) $35 USD
Cabs – Grab taxis, no Grab moto’s, only Grab deliveries via App (5 Ringgit upwards, very cheap) In fact as we speak, they seem to have the monopoly. I bought a cheap moto. So no expenditure now per month.
Miscellaneous – 202 Ringgit ($50 US)
My miscellaneous expenses were things like laundry, clothes ( I was staying a while ). I didn’t factor these costs into my original budget plans.
Moreover, I took a lot of taxis at the beginning, because sometimes they were the fastest and most convenient way to go and Grab taxis are extremely cheap on the island, even though the buses are regular and run well, it’s nice to have your own driver.
I overspent on food simply because of its delicious Malaysian menu and a menu of all cultures, I think I found my best ever Chicken Tikka Masala and there were a lot of nice seafood dinners on the coast.
Also, in many touristy areas, a cheap meal can still cost ($6 USD).
Can You Do It Cheaper?
Yes, but it won’t be as much fun. If you simply account for food, very cheap accommodation, not like the places where I stayed like a king, with balcony overlooking the sea and the spacious areas, you can probably get by on a bare-bones $20 USD per day. However, I don’t feel you would enjoy it as much.
Everyone to their own tunes! That budget has not a lot of activities included, and the fun adventure activities like zip-lining, surfing, and jungle trekking are what make this country as amazing as it is.
20USD is not a budget I would recommend. However, saying that, they’re a lot of things free In Penang, like touring the heritage sites of Georgetown, hiking, plenty of those, all the beaches, and a photographer’s dream.
On my budget of $35 USD a day, I stayed in an apartment ( only $12P.N ), homestays, which was excellent, and Airbnb rooms, which I’m in now and it’s gorgeous with an infinity pool, gym and is spacious. ( Don’t know if I’m receiving these prices because the border is locked,) however, there is an abundance of rentals here.
I ate quite a bit of local food and usually one Western meal a day ( English breakfast only cost me 11 Ringgit ( $2.7USD, I did find one though, which is called oriental seafood which did a breakfasts et for only 2.50 Ringgit ( yes 2.50 Ringgit!). (If you avoid alcohol)l, you can have even more money for fun adventure activities.)
I haven’t been doing a lot of adventure tours recently, since I have been here a while NOW and done most of them. I never felt I was missing out on anything within my budget.
For example, even though water from the tap is okish to drink, a liter of water is only 2.6 Ringgits ( $0.64 cents), and though my budget is not that much even for a budget traveler, more the reason you should definitely make this trip to Penang and see this outstanding Island.
Three Suggested Budgets
Backpacker
- Accommodation – ($5-10 USD) Many hostels around the backpacker area of Love Lane, Chulia Street.
- Food – ($ 5- 10 USD) Find a supermarket, Tesco’s yes they have many Tesco’s, Cold Storage and visit the Food markets and many of the hawker’s centres around, which only charge you 5 Ringgit for Chicken and rice. Local Malaysian dishes can start from 1 Ringgit for a simple breakfast.
- Transportation – 1.50 Ringgit to most places ($035 cents USD) Rapid bus service is a great service and also has a frequent timetable.
- Activities – ($5 – 15 USD) for smaller establishments.
- Daily Total – ($15-20 USD)
Mid-Range .
- Accommodation – ($22-45 USD)
- Food – ($15-30 USD)
- Transportation – ($5-10 USD)
- Activities – ($55-90 USD)
- Daily Total – ($97-170 USD)
Luxury
- Accommodation – ($40-100 USD)
- Food – ($35-75 USD)
- Transportation – ($10 -20 USD)
- Activities – ($55 – $90 USD)
- Daily Total – ($140-275 USD)
Ways To Save Money
There are plenty of ways to save money in Penang. This may be an island, however, it’s a lot cheaper than some I’ve lived on, like Phuket, Thailand, and is as nice, if not nicer:) Also, you don’t seem to have the two-tier pricing in restaurants.
Some attractions will charge you a bit more, however, these are still in-expensive, and I truly believe they only do this to help the locals as the minimum wage here, is around 1,500 Ringgit per month ( $369 USD).
1. Don’t drink. Drinking in bars in Penang can be quite expensive or as expensive as at home. Beer is typically ($3.70 USD). Sometimes you can find it for around $2.20 USD, but that’s very rare and usually during a happy hour.
I avoided drinking heavily here, simply because it was expensive and I’m on a budget, as I travel constantly and I also want to save while I work. Langkawi is tax-free though and a short 3hr ride by ferry if you want a skinful, at times.
2. Eat at the hawker centers. The local restaurants are a great bargain. You can usually find Char kway teow, a typical prawn, chicken, egg rice local dish, for around 1.48 USD ( and are about 1/2 the price of tourist restaurants). In many of the towns in the Island, you can find meals for under 1 USD.
3. Eat at the food courts, even Tesco’s have them.
4. Stay in dorms. Accommodation in Penang is relatively cheap. However when the cruiseliners stay over, the prices may go up in the touristy areas I stayed at a few budget hotels, and they were around ($10 USD) per night, basically somewhere to put your head and a shared bathroom.
More of a higher standard than most other countries dorms. Penang is a very clean island and the local Penangnnites respect that! Dorm rooms offer the best value, as they cost only ($5-8 USD) per night;
Email me info@tourandtakein.com and I will tell you where and hopefully give you some places to stay. Which will help with the cost of traveling and living in Penang
5. Couchsurf. Don’t like dorms? Use the site Couchsurfing, which can connect you with locals who will let you stay at their house for free. It’s a great way to meet locals and cut down your accommodation costs. Please be vigilant though and do due diligence, if you’re on your own.
6. Save and sign up for trustedhousesitter. Trustedhousesitter is a service which gives you complete free accommodation, maybe food, use of the car and other perks for looking after the house or the owner’s pets, this is a well-established business and we have used it and had some great sits making new friends and meeting animals who are just adorable.
Especially our Pug friend in Italy This is an annual cost but you would make that back in 4 days of FREE accommodation.We use it:)
Budget Travelers in Penang, Malaysia: Frequently Asked Questions
Do they accept US dollars in Penang?
Generally speaking, I’ve never tried and seen anyone paying by the dollar, The Ringgit is a stable currency. The dollar is widely used throughout S.E.A and especially in Cambodia.
I tend to have enough cash hanging around ( just in case my cards get stolen/lost or blocked,) and pay by transferwise debit card for most things like shopping, etc, with hardly any charges whatsoever, once you top up from your main bank. It’s also great for keeping track of how much you spend. I also believe there may be a sign-up promotion.
How many ringgit are in a dollar in Penang?
As of Dec 2020, One American Dollar currently exchanges at a rate of 3.61 MYR or 5 Ringgit to the UK Pound..
Can I use my credit card in Penang?
Yes, you can use credit cards all over the island, apart from street vendors or very small businesses, who only deal in cash. That being said, always make sure you have cash on hand as well.
Also, I’m noticing some businesses, even car parks are going cashless, so you can use your card or get a local smart card app on your phone and transfer money to it. SIgn of the times, not what I personally would like to see though, a cashless society,
Do you tip drivers in Penang?
It’s not expected or frowned upon if you don’t tip, but I always give a few extra ringgit as the taxis Grab are so cheap, you can get to most places for 5-10 ringgit from Georgetown to Batu Ferringhi by car and some beautiful cars, Petrol is so in-expensive here.
In smaller restaurants, I usually do the same but bigger establishments will carry a 6% service charge, so I don’t unless I get exceptional service. Remember most locals live on a wage of 1.500 ringgit – $375 USD, so every ringgit counts and they really appreciate the odd one or two!
Do you tip at restaurants in Penang?
Restaurants often add a service fee onto your bill, which makes tipping unnecessary. However, tips are always appreciated if someone goes above and beyond and provides excellent service.***
Malaysia is now one of my favorite countries in the world. Whether you’re a budget backpacker, flashpacker, or someone looking to have a more luxurious stay, you’ll be able to have an amazing trip here.
Dental treatment in Penang from experience.
Whilst in the country of Malaysia and on the beautiful island of Penang, I decided to go and sort my teeth out, mainly through wear and tear, and being dentist shy.
My front teeth were becoming an embarrassment, especially when smiling. Too much candy, soda, etc. So I decided to see a private dentist after a recommendation.
I needed bridging work doing to four of my front teeth. There were two options enamel or metal, I actually went for the metal ones. As if I’m like with my teeth as I am with smartphones, I will end up breaking them.
The dentist mentioned 10-15 years of life, if I look after them, that will do me. Let’s have some metal ones.
Cost: Around 1,200 UK sterling for 4 front teeth, many fillings, reshaping, and molding of teeth that could be saved. Overall not a painful experience in all of the three visits and only once injected when griding the teeth down.
So the bridges can be placed over them. Remembering this was a private clinic, not a dental hospital or if you’re in the UK, you can get around the same price on the NHS.
Price compared to the cost of the UK: Bridges are often used for replacing a number of missing teeth but can also be used to replace one tooth. They come under a Band 3 treatment, so on the NHS, they cost £269.30.
Privately a dental bridge is very expensive, starting at around £800. So a saving of 2,000 pounds. You could fly over and have a holiday within that price.
The cost of traveling and living in Penang.
Book Your Trip to Penang: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Last Minute.com. They are my two favorite search engines because they search for websites and airlines around the globe, and again they haven’t let me down, that’s why we associate with them.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your apartment/homestay/guesthouse with AirBnB, we use these all the time and have never been let down, in fact as mentioned above, while in hospital in Italy, the company refunded us as we didn’t have chance to cancel our future booking until a fortnight later. We also have a $38 off offer for first-timers
Tripadvisor Don’t just take our word for it, see what the reviewers say. Have your own footsoldiers already on the ground, giving you their thoughts. Remember, some businesses have been known to inflate their own reviews.
This is easily noticeable as per seeing written reviews in different languages, Translating them with Google, and different reviewers using different grammar/mistakes. The cheats usually write in English only and have the same grammar/mistakes, as they don’t know any different!
Booking.com as they have the largest inventory as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
If you love animals, why not try pet sitting or housesitting with Trustedhousesitters. It’s a small cost to sign up to but again we’ve used these and saved hundreds over the years, plus living locally rather than as a tourist. and it would affect the cost of traveling and living in Penang
Computer We use a VPN express for these reasons when traveling and when we’re at home. 1) Avoid price discrimination based on location. 2) Protect your online privacy. 3) Keep your info safe from third parties, don’t be vulnerable to cybercrime and snooping, especially on public Wi-Fi. 4) All your internet traffic is fully encrypted, and ExpressVPN keeps no activity or connection logs.
Your shared IP address cannot be used to link you to any online activity. 5) Defeat censorship in certain countries on certain website channels. 6) High-speed connectivity and finally, a great price for peace of mind, which can be used on all devices from $6.69 P.M
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.
I’ve been using World Nomads for several years now and is one of my favorite companies that offer the best service, value and piece of mind:)
The cost of traveling and living in Penang will be reduced if accidents happen!
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