Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Putrajaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Putrajaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $791 per month in Al Hillah vs $830 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,214 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,234 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,636 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,638 in Putrajaya, rent included.

Al Hillah is about 5% cheaper than Putrajaya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Al Hillah and Putrajaya are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 42% lower, Putrajaya 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 IQD 6,367

$3.78 MYR 15.45

28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

$19.96 MYR 81.5

52.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 IQD 7,788

$3.89 MYR 15.89

52.96%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,993

$2.94 MYR 12.00

3.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.80 MYR 3.28

-53.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 289

$0.39 MYR 1.61

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 IQD 3,705

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-21.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 IQD 5,144

$4.65 MYR 18.99

-15.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,426

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-37.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$1.10 MYR 4.47

-29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,009

$1.44 MYR 5.88

6.25%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,368

$1.73 MYR 7.08

4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 IQD 5,203

$7.69 MYR 31.39

-48.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 IQD 6,202

$4.56 MYR 18.62

3.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.6K

$9.95 MYR 40.61

43.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$2.48 MYR 10.13

-52.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,412

$1.57 MYR 6.43

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,393

$2.25 MYR 9.19

-52.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-53.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 866

$1.38 MYR 5.62

-52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$1.43 MYR 5.83

-55.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 730

$1.31 MYR 5.37

-57.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 768

$0.51 MYR 2.08

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$4.21 MYR 17.20

-56.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$13.26 MYR 54.1

2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,937

$2.95 MYR 12.06

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 IQD 2,875

$3.15 MYR 12.84

-30.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.77 MYR 3.15

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 IQD 84.2K

$12.34 MYR 50.4

421.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,960

$1.01 MYR 4.14

123.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,988

$0.47 MYR 1.94

223.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 IQD 4,532

$9.97 MYR 40.71

-65.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 749

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-18.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.1K IQD 22.4M

$41.7K MYR 170.1K

-58.90%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$33.9K MYR 138.3K

-43.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$53.1 MYR 217

43.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

$11.26 MYR 45.97

34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 IQD 50.4K

$23.15 MYR 94.5

66.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.95 IQD 30.1K

$34.95 MYR 143

-34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.40 IQD 25.4K

$9.53 MYR 38.91

103.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,889

$5.03 MYR 20.53

50.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

$514 MYR 2,099

-81.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$766 IQD 1.0M

$4,473 MYR 18.3K

-82.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.31 IQD 29.2K

$66.0 MYR 269

-66.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

$16.57 MYR 67.7

49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 IQD 87.8K

$82.0 MYR 335

-18.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 IQD 62.0K

$85.0 MYR 347

-44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 368.6K

$350 MYR 1,428

-19.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.5K

$225 MYR 920

-20.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 648.4K

$650 MYR 2,653

-23.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 IQD 380.8K

$362 MYR 1,478

-19.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,717 IQD 2.2M

$2,705 MYR 11.0K

-36.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$555 IQD 726.2K

$1,786 MYR 7,292

-68.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 IQD 673.3K

$1,047 MYR 4,276

-50.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.06

1.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al Hillah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Al Hillah versus $350 in Putrajaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Putrajaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Al Hillah versus $20.00 in Putrajaya. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Al Hillah vs $222 in Putrajaya – so Al Hillah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al Hillah vs Putrajaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Putrajaya is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,187 per month in Al Hillah and $1,244 in Putrajaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 421% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.9 per month in Al Hillah and $514 in Putrajaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $791 in Al Hillah and $830 in Putrajaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Putrajaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.