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 $920 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,040 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,401 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,762 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 26% 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 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 MYR 9.76

$3.59 MYR 14.70

-33.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.99 MYR 49.05

$18.95 MYR 77.5

-36.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.37

$4.62 MYR 18.89

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.79 MYR 11.42

-41.94%

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

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.69 MYR 2.81

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 MYR 14.63

$3.63 MYR 14.84

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.47

$5.11 MYR 20.88

-54.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.57

$1.85 MYR 7.58

-12.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-14.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.71 MYR 6.99

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$2.17 MYR 8.87

-32.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 MYR 49.43

$10.65 MYR 43.54

13.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 MYR 12.37

$3.50 MYR 14.31

-13.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 MYR 34.59

$8.07 MYR 33.00

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.37

$2.69 MYR 11.02

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$2.52 MYR 10.32

-44.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.49

$1.22 MYR 4.99

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.18 MYR 4.83

-24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-61.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.88 MYR 3.61

-21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.98

$0.59 MYR 2.40

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 MYR 11.34

$4.26 MYR 17.42

-34.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 77.4

$19.75 MYR 80.8

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$2.70 MYR 11.03

-55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MYR 8.54

$3.94 MYR 16.12

-46.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.72 MYR 2.93

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 48.79

$11.64 MYR 47.61

2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.35 MYR 1.43

45.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 MYR 28.63

$9.32 MYR 38.11

-24.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.46 MYR 1.88

2.17%

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

$34.0K MYR 139.1K

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

6.12%

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

$28.0K MYR 114.3K

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

0.85%

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

$39.42 MYR 161

$40.34 MYR 165

-2.28%

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

$7.26 MYR 29.69

$9.05 MYR 37.03

-19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.83 MYR 110

$22.74 MYR 93.0

17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 MYR 148

$37.09 MYR 152

-2.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.65 MYR 39.49

$7.35 MYR 30.05

31.29%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 MYR 11.90

$4.81 MYR 19.68

-39.50%

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

$82.5 MYR 338

$210 MYR 857

-60.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,299 MYR 21.7K

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

-33.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.53 MYR 194

$49.98 MYR 204

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MYR 119

$33.86 MYR 139

-13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 254

$55.2 MYR 226

12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 MYR 219

$48.48 MYR 198

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 MYR 1,219

$456 MYR 1,866

-34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 713

$344 MYR 1,405

-49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,857

$817 MYR 3,343

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 MYR 1,400

$537 MYR 2,198

-36.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,225 MYR 9,100

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

-30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,253

$210 MYR 859

395.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 MYR 6,625

$1,713 MYR 7,008

-5.46%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in Alor Setar versus $456 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 6% 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: $208 vs $236 – 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 35% 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 $1,020 per month in Alor Setar and $1,381 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 $82.5 per month in Alor Setar and $210 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 $920 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $920 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.