How much does lighting installation cost in Penang?

Lighting installation in Penang costs RM30 to RM210 per light for most homes, from labour only on an existing point to a downlight supplied and fitted into a concrete ceiling. A heavy chandelier can reach RM1,200. The two questions that set your price are whether a wiring point already exists and what the ceiling is made of.

Electricians price lighting per point, not per room. Once you know the number of points and the rate for each type, you can check any quote with simple arithmetic.

The cost bands

Fit a light on an existing point, from RM30 to RM60 labour

If the ceiling already has a working lighting point and switch, the job is labour only: mount the fitting, connect it and test it. Published starting prices for this run from RM30 to RM60 per light, with a George Town electrician listing downlights from RM60 per point. You supply the fitting, or the electrician quotes it on top.

Replacing a like-for-like fitting is the cheapest lighting job there is. Changing a fluorescent tube batten to an LED panel or a ceiling light usually falls in this band too.

New lighting point, RM60 to RM140 per point

A new point means new cable from the distribution board or the nearest circuit, conduit, a back box, and a switch. Malaysian electricians publish rates of RM60 to RM140 per lighting point, with the fitting itself not included. Downlights looped from a nearby point sit at the lower end. A point that needs a fresh cable run through a concrete wall sits at the upper end.

Concealed wiring, chased into a wall and plastered over, costs more than surface trunking because of the hacking and making good.

Downlights supplied and installed, RM80 to RM210 each

Downlights are the most common lighting job in Penang condos and terrace houses. All-in prices, covering the downlight, cutting the ceiling hole, wiring and testing, run:

• RM80 to RM150 per downlight in a plasterboard false ceiling, where access is easy.
• RM110 to RM210 per downlight in a concrete ceiling, which needs more labour.

Basic fixed LED downlights sit at the bottom of these ranges. Dimmable and colour-adjustable downlights cost more per unit, and each dimmer switch adds about RM80 to RM200 per switch point.

Feature lighting: pendants, track lights and LED strips

• Pendant lights: published installation prices start from RM80 to RM180, depending on size and how the pendant hangs.
• Track lighting: RM200 to RM600 per run, depending on track length and the number of heads.
• LED strip and cove lighting: about RM22 to RM30 per foot, or RM200 to RM500 per run including the controller. Cove lighting needs a plaster ceiling detail to hide the strip, which is a separate cost. See our plaster ceiling cost guide.

Chandeliers, RM150 to RM1,200

A chandelier needs a ceiling hook rated for its weight and careful assembly. Published starting prices begin at RM150 to RM200 for labour. Supplied-and-installed quotes for a chandelier up to about 15 kg run RM350 to RM600, and a heavier chandelier that needs ceiling reinforcement runs RM600 to RM1,200.

Price table

Most of these published rates come from Klang Valley electricians, with one George Town listing. Penang quotes are often similar, but get at least two before you commit.

A worked example

A 3-bedroom condo with a plasterboard ceiling fitting 30 basic LED downlights:

• 30 downlights at RM80 to RM150 each: RM2,400 to RM4,500
• 2 dimmer switches for the living room and master bedroom at RM80 to RM200 each: RM160 to RM400
• Total: roughly RM2,560 to RM4,900

The same layout in a concrete ceiling, at RM110 to RM210 per downlight, comes to roughly RM3,300 to RM6,300 for the downlights alone. If the unit has no ceiling points where you want the lights, add the cost of new lighting points.

What changes the price

Existing point or new point

This is the biggest single factor. Fitting a light where a point already exists is labour only. A new point adds cable, conduit, a switch and often wall chasing.

Ceiling type

Plasterboard false ceilings are quick to cut and wire through. Concrete ceilings need drilling and surface conduit or chasing, which is why concrete-ceiling downlight rates are higher.

Fitting type and brand

Basic fixed LED downlights are cheap. Dimmable, colour-adjustable and IP65-rated fittings for bathrooms and outdoor areas cost more per unit, and some need compatible dimmer switches.

Ceiling height and access

High ceilings in shophouses and double-volume living rooms need scaffolding or tall ladders, which adds labour time.

Condo rules

Some condos ask for an electrical work approval form and limit working hours. Check with your management office before you book.

How to compare quotes

1. Count the points. Ask each electrician to list the number of points by type: existing fittings, new lighting points, downlights, dimmers.
2. Check what the rate includes. Some downlight rates include the fitting. Others are labour only. A labour-only rate and an all-in rate are not comparable.
3. Ask about the ceiling. A rate quoted for plasterboard will not hold for a concrete ceiling.
4. Name the fittings. Get the brand, wattage and colour temperature in writing, so a cheaper unit is not swapped in.
5. Confirm making good. Ask whether patching holes and repainting after wall chasing is in the price.
6. Use a registered electrician. Fixed wiring in Malaysia must be done by a wireman registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga (the Energy Commission). Ask for the registration before work starts.

If your house is older and the wiring itself is the problem, see our electrician rates guide for rewiring and distribution board costs.

Related guides

• Electrician rates in Penang
• Plaster ceiling cost in Penang
• Condo renovation cost in Penang

Browse electricians in George Town →

Sources

• ClickBina, Downlight Installation Cost in Malaysia 2026: https://clickbina.com/guides/downlight-installation-cost-malaysia
• Fastlink Fix, Electrician Price Malaysia 2026: https://fastlinkfix.com/pricing/electrical
• Studio D3, Electrical Cost Malaysia 2026: https://www.studiod3.net/post/electrical-cost-malaysia-2026-rewiring-and-wiring-price-guide-for-home-renovation
• Reno.my, House Wiring Cost Per Point Malaysia 2026: https://reno.my/en/blog/kos-wiring-rumah-per-point
• Hin Construction, Cost to Install a Power Point: https://www.hinconstruction.com.my/services/sid/7467/cost-to-install-a-power-point-in-pj-selangor-now
• Kristal Maya, Electrical Wiring Cost: https://www.kristalmaya.com.my/en/blog/electrical-wiring-cost
• Prime Electrician, Lighting Installation Cost Malaysia: https://primeelectrician.com.my/lighting-installation-malaysia
• 24 Hour Electrician, George Town: https://www.24hourelectrician.my/en/electrician-service/george-town
• KL Servis Rumah, Lighting Installation: https://www.klservisrumah.my/services/lighting
• KL Servis Rumah, New Power Point and Switch Installation Cost: https://www.klservisrumah.my/blog/new-power-point-and-switch-installation

Rates checked against the public sources above on 2 November 2026. Compiled by Wei Han, founder of Penang Renovations.

This guide was drafted with AI assistance from the public sources listed above. Prices are planning ranges, not quotes. If you spot an inaccuracy or have a recent quote to share, contact us at penangrenovations.com@gmail.com.