Share a flat
Shared rooms are the cheapest option; a studio costs much more than RM 900.
🇲🇾 Malaysia, Malaysia
Cost of Living in Penang & Johor Bahru
Malaysian cities with electronics and manufacturing employers. Here's a realistic monthly budget for an Indian student in Penang & Johor Bahru — rent, food, transport and insurance — in MYR and rupees.
- Rent RM 450 – RM 900/month
- Total RM 1,742 – RM 2,192/month
- ≈ ₹0.4 lakh – ₹0.5 lakh/month
- 2 universities
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Quick answer
How much does it cost to live in Penang & Johor Bahru as a student?
Budget RM 1,742 – RM 2,192 a month (about ₹0.4 lakh – ₹0.5 lakh), or RM 20,900 – RM 26,300 a year. Rent for a room in shared housing is the biggest cost at RM 450 – RM 900. Penang & Johor Bahru is the cheapest of the 2 cities we track in Malaysia.
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Penang & Johor Bahru budget at a glance
- Room in shared housing
- RM 450 – RM 900 a month
- Monthly budget
- RM 1,742 – RM 2,192
- Yearly budget
- RM 20,900 – RM 26,300
- In rupees (a year)
- ₹4.6 lakh – ₹5.8 lakh
- Health cover
- Medical insurance is part of the EMGS student pass process
- Getting around
- Rapid KL concession passes for students
- Exchange rate used
- RM 1 ≈ ₹22
Monthly budget
Student budget in Penang & Johor Bahru
Planning estimates for 2026 — rents move quickly, so check live listings before you sign.
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Penang & Johor Bahru vs other student cities in Malaysia
Universities
Universities in Penang & Johor Bahru
Save money
Cutting costs in Penang & Johor Bahru
Cook at home
Groceries for about RM 700 a month — Indian grocery stores are common in big cities.
Use student transport
Rapid KL concession passes for students
Work part-time
Part-time work only in semester breaks, in permitted sectors
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question?
Ask a counsellor directly — we reply on WhatsApp during working hours (Mon–Sat, 9 AM–6 PM IST).
About RM 1,742 – RM 2,192 (₹0.4 lakh – ₹0.5 lakh), including rent.
A room in shared housing usually costs RM 450 – RM 900 a month.
Part-time work (part-time work only in semester breaks, in permitted sectors) helps, but it rarely covers everything — plan savings or a loan for living costs.
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Universities
Universities in Penang & Johor Bahru
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