Cuenca vs Penang: cost of living for digital nomads
Cuenca, Ecuador 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
- Cuenca is about 2% cheaper than Penang for a month of nomad living ($1,100 vs $1,125).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $450 in Penang against $480 in Cuenca.
- Penang scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
- Internet is faster in Penang: 180 Mbps typical against 60 Mbps.
- Cuenca is temperate; Penang is tropical.
Cuenca wins 1 of the measured lines; Penang wins 5.
| Line | Cuenca | Penang |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,100 | $1,125 |
| Rent | $480 | $450 |
| Food | $320 | $300 |
| Transport | $35 | $35 |
| Coworking | $90 | $90 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 60 | 180 |
| Climate | temperate | tropical |
| City size | mid | metro |
| Setting | mountain | island |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
Compare Cuenca with
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.