Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Alor Setar vs $892 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,790 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 24% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alor Setar and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 49% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 MYR 9.24

$3.47 MYR 13.76

-32.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.63 MYR 46.11

$18.73 MYR 74.3

-37.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 MYR 16.51

$4.74 MYR 18.79

-12.24%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MYR 6.44

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-39.78%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.72 MYR 2.87

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.06

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MYR 13.99

$3.44 MYR 13.63

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.22

$5.08 MYR 20.16

-54.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.48

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 MYR 3.52

$0.94 MYR 3.73

-5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.77

$1.77 MYR 7.04

-32.20%

Eggs

$1.50 MYR 5.96

$2.20 MYR 8.74

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 MYR 46.62

$10.55 MYR 41.83

11.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$3.39 MYR 13.42

-7.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 MYR 32.79

$8.06 MYR 31.96

2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$2.74 MYR 10.87

5.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.47

$2.50 MYR 9.90

-44.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.29

$1.26 MYR 4.99

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.50

$1.13 MYR 4.48

-22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-59.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.95 MYR 3.77

-28.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.63 MYR 2.50

-26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MYR 11.13

$4.35 MYR 17.24

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 MYR 76.8

$20.58 MYR 81.6

-5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$2.75 MYR 10.91

-57.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MYR 8.32

$3.85 MYR 15.28

-45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.72 MYR 2.84

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.63

$11.92 MYR 47.24

-1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.02 MYR 4.02

-27.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MYR 2.16

$0.33 MYR 1.29

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 MYR 28.68

$9.38 MYR 37.19

-22.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.49 MYR 1.95

-6.12%

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

$33.8K MYR 134.0K

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

8.69%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.8K

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

-0.84%

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

$39.16 MYR 155

$41.04 MYR 163

-4.58%

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

$7.01 MYR 27.80

$8.87 MYR 35.17

-20.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 MYR 108

$22.69 MYR 90.0

19.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.34 MYR 144

$37.62 MYR 149

-3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.33 MYR 37.00

$7.54 MYR 29.91

23.74%

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$4.85 MYR 19.21

-43.09%

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

$83.4 MYR 331

$213 MYR 844

-60.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

-35.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.55 MYR 185

$48.18 MYR 191

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 MYR 114

$34.97 MYR 139

-17.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 246

$53.9 MYR 214

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 208

$48.40 MYR 192

8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 MYR 1,185

$464 MYR 1,840

-35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MYR 675

$343 MYR 1,358

-50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 MYR 1,752

$830 MYR 3,291

-46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,328

$538 MYR 2,135

-37.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 MYR 7,582

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

-40.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 MYR 3,569

$211 MYR 836

327.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,649 MYR 6,536

$1,782 MYR 7,066

-7.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.49

-7.35%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $299 in Alor Setar versus $464 in Petaling Jaya. 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 8% higher in Petaling Jaya, 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 $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $237 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Alor Setar vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 31% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Alor Setar and $1,338 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $83.4 per month in Alor Setar and $213 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Petaling Jaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Alor Setar and $892 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $892 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Alor Setar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.