Cape Town vs Penang: cost of living for digital nomads
Cape Town, South Africa and Penang, Malaysia, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Penang is about 30% cheaper than Cape Town for a month of nomad living ($1,125 vs $1,600).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $450 in Penang against $720 in Cape Town.
- Penang scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in Penang: 180 Mbps typical against 80 Mbps.
- Cape Town is mediterranean; Penang is tropical.
Cape Town wins 1 of the measured lines; Penang wins 7.
| Line | Cape Town | Penang |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,600 | $1,125 |
| Rent | $720 | $450 |
| Food | $430 | $300 |
| Transport | $60 | $35 |
| Coworking | $130 | $90 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 80 | 180 |
| Climate | mediterranean | tropical |
| City size | metro | metro |
| Setting | coast | island |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 9/10 | 8/10 |
Compare Penang with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.