my ordinary costs of living on Penang Island, Malaysia in July 2009

~ at 3.5 ringgit per U.S. dollar ~

my half of apartment rental in The OceanView: RM 425  or $121.43

my half of  electricity bill: RM 43  or $12.29

food & bottled water; dining-out & groceries: RM 508.35  or $145.24 or $4.69 daily

Astro satellite television subscription: RM 93.95  or $26.84 or 87 ¢ daily

.

medical & dental:

Penang International Dental College new-patient registration and dental care: RM 40  or $11.43

Hospital Pulau Penang: van transportation to emergency ward, treatment, X-ray and CT imaging, in-patient admission, 1-night stay, pain relievers and intravenous saline solution drip: RM 270 or $77.14

Penang Adventist Hospital: new-patient registration: RM 10.50  or $3

physician office visit RM 150 or $42.86

.

medicine, health, hygiene:

nutritional supplements: RM 36 or $10.29

medicines, including pain-relievers: RM 55.50  or $15.86

two ointments and bandages: RM 58.80 or $16.80

soap, alcohol gel, bathroom tissue, razors, mouthwash: RM 27  or $7.71

public toilet usage: 40 sen  or 11¢

.

internet:

website hosting (this weblog): $4.99

internet café usage: RM 87.70  or $25.06 or 81¢ daily

.

transportation:

gasoline/petrol, high-octane unleaded; RM 1.80 per liter: RM 15.64  or $4.47

motorcycle parts and service: RM 99  or $28.29

motorcycle parking : RM 1.50  or 43¢

ferry rides: RM 6 or $1.71

bus rides: RM 1  or 29¢

taxi rides: RM 25 or $7.14

motorcycle removal, storage & delivery, post-accident: RM 50  or $14.99 ( gratuity)

.

miscellaneous:

cellular phone unlocking: RM 50  or $14.29

cellular phone airtime: RM 65  or $18.57

.

postage: RM 6.2o  or $1.77

record data DVDs (JPEG photos and scans of drawings): RM 65  or $18.57

printing, desktop b&w inkjet (ads for my motorcycle): RM 18.30  or $5.23

decals, sandpaper, masking tape: RM 33  or $9.42

.

clothes & shoes: RM 78.92  or $22.54

laundry: RM 14.60  or $4.17

.

gifts: RM 66  or $18.86

antique &/or foreign currency: RM 64  or $18.28

magazine: RM 9.90  or $2.82

gratuities & palm-greasing: RM 60.70  or $17.34