Penang : Food Prices Comparison (part 2)

In the first part of this series, I shared some photos and prices of food at the mall and restaurant in Penang. I am not complaining of the food price 😅. Because obviously compare to the food price in the US or Canada, food price in Penang is just a fraction of what me and hubby used to pay there. We want to provide some information in case anyone who wants to retire in Penang wanted to plan their budget accordingly.

Food Courts

Food courts here mean the food stall is part of an establishment. The food stall owner usually just rent a portion of the food court. The food court owner (I believe) runs the drinks stall. These type of neighborhood food courts do not have air conditioner so it's usually cheaper than the food courts at the mall. Food quality wise is the same if not better. Some of the food stall owner could be running the same store for years using family recipe. Most of them only offer 3-4 items on their menu. And they control the quality well.

Food courts in Penang usually has the following stalls : economy rice (we will talk about this separately), prawn noodle, char kway teow, ohr luak (oyster omelette), wonton noodle, bak kut teh (pork ribs in spices). The Malay food court may have the following stalls : nasi campur, mamak noodle, pasembur, char kway teow and chicken satay.

From the photo above taken at Sungai Pinang Food Court, fried noodle RM 7 (USD 1.60), small size oyster omelette RM 13 (USD 2.95) and bbq chicken RM 17.50 (USD 3.97). Small drinks at food court range between RM 1.50 - RM 2.50 (USD 0.34 - USD 0.57). I have read that some food court owner requires purchase of at least 1 drink to be able to sit at the table in the food court.

Photo above taken at Old City Food Court in Tanjung Tokong area. Stir fry vermicelli RM 8 (USD 1.81), rice noodle soup with fish RM 9 (USD 2.04). Two drinks RM 4 (USD 0.90).

Photo above taken at Medan Selera Padang Brown a food court close to Jalan Dato Keramat. Those food are from the halal section at that food court. Chicken satay (10 skewers) RM 9.50 (USD 2.15). Assam laksa RM 5 (USD 1.13). The drink was coconut shake RM 5 (USD 1.13). Pasembur was RM 18 (USD 4.08).