Langkawi vs Penang (George Town)
💰
Penang (George Town) saves you $1,000/month
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Langkawi
Penang (George Town)
Total Budget
$1,850/mo
$850/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,000/mo
$350/mo ✓
Coworking
$210/mo
$75/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$3
Coffee
$2.5 ✓
$3
Penang (George Town) is $1,000/mo cheaper (118% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇲🇾 Langkawi
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇲🇾 Penang (George Town)
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Langkawi
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days265/year
Best months: February, January
Penang (George Town)
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days284/year
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
27°27°
Apr
28°28°
Jul
27°28°
Oct
26°27°
LangkawiPenang (George Town)
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇲🇾Langkawi
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,850
$850
Winner📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
4.1/5
4/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.7/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
7/10
10/10
Winner🎉
Nightlife
5/10
5/10
🚶
Walkability
4/10
7/10
Winner👥
Community
medium
medium
0
Langkawi wins
vs
4
Penang (George Town) wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Penang (George Town)
$1000/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Penang (George Town)
Better food scene with incredible variety
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇲🇾Langkawi
Pros
- +Lower overall cost of living than big Malaysian cities and most beach destinations in Europe
- +Growing digital nomad scene with Jetpack Langkawi and a few other work friendly spaces
- +Good 4G and fibre connectivity on much of the island after recent infrastructure projects
- +Beautiful beaches, mangroves and viewpoints within short scooter or car trips
Cons
- −Public transport is minimal so you almost always need a scooter, car rental or Grab
- −Walkability is low outside a few strips such as parts of Pantai Cenang and Kuah
- −Fewer coworking spaces and events than bigger nomad hubs so networking is more manual
- −Rainy months from June to October can bring heavy showers and grey days
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
Pros
- +Legendary street food scene - Asia's food capital with Char Kway Teow laksa and more
- +Extremely affordable - comfortable living under $850/month
- +UNESCO World Heritage Site - stunning colonial architecture and temples
- +High English proficiency - easy communication everywhere
Cons
- −Hot and humid year-round - 24-32°C with high humidity
- −WiFi historically slower than other destinations - improving with fiber rollout
- −Limited coworking scene compared to KL or Bali
- −Monsoon season September-November brings heavy rain