Cost of Living Comparison Between Banjul and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Banjul and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $616 per month in Banjul vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,109 per month in Banjul vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,603 per month in Banjul vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Banjul is about 32% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 54% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 GMD 397

$3.50 MYR 14.29

52.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 GMD 4,761

$19.15 MYR 78.3

234.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 GMD 508

$4.78 MYR 19.54

42.89%

Cappuccino

$2.60 GMD 193

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-6.47%

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

$2.16 GMD 161

$0.72 MYR 2.96

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 GMD 101

$0.39 MYR 1.60

248.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 GMD 288

$3.61 MYR 14.77

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 GMD 316

$4.93 MYR 20.15

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 GMD 103

$1.92 MYR 7.83

-28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 GMD 39.37

$0.93 MYR 3.81

-43.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 GMD 102

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-24.02%

Eggs

$1.98 GMD 147

$2.20 MYR 8.98

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 GMD 476

$10.52 MYR 43.01

-39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 GMD 207

$3.41 MYR 13.93

-18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.94 GMD 442

$8.28 MYR 33.84

-28.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 GMD 156

$2.65 MYR 10.84

-21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 94.3

$1.68 MYR 6.88

-24.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 GMD 142

$2.53 MYR 10.33

-24.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 GMD 108

$1.20 MYR 4.91

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 GMD 68.3

$1.18 MYR 4.81

-22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 GMD 77.3

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-25.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 GMD 17.81

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 GMD 29.08

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 GMD 130

$4.20 MYR 17.18

-58.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 GMD 470

$19.92 MYR 81.4

-68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 GMD 111

$2.78 MYR 11.36

-46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 GMD 134

$3.97 MYR 16.21

-54.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 GMD 14.87

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.64 GMD 494

$11.59 MYR 47.38

-42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 GMD 26.85

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 GMD 54.3

$0.33 MYR 1.34

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 GMD 315

$9.42 MYR 38.49

-55.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 GMD 81.1

$0.46 MYR 1.87

136.96%

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

$2,797 GMD 208.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

-90.99%

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

$3,393 GMD 252.4K

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

-87.99%

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

$31.94 GMD 2,377

$40.45 MYR 165

-21.04%

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

$15.00 GMD 1,116

$9.18 MYR 37.52

63.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.09 GMD 3,578

$22.64 MYR 92.5

112.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.39 GMD 1,815

$37.27 MYR 152

-34.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.22 GMD 1,058

$7.35 MYR 30.02

93.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 GMD 261

$4.88 MYR 19.96

-28.28%

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

$6.97 GMD 519

$208 MYR 851

-96.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$140 GMD 10.4K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-98.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 GMD 4,228

$48.20 MYR 197

17.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 GMD 3,278

$34.63 MYR 142

27.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 GMD 7,447

$54.0 MYR 221

85.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 GMD 6,590

$49.14 MYR 201

80.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 GMD 7,558

$460 MYR 1,882

-77.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.1 GMD 4,021

$340 MYR 1,390

-84.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 GMD 17.0K

$826 MYR 3,378

-72.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 GMD 10.7K

$538 MYR 2,198

-73.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,459 GMD 108.5K

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-53.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 GMD 83.7K

$204 MYR 835

450.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$62.0 GMD 4,613

$1,764 MYR 7,210

-96.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

4.49

125.39%

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

Last update for Banjul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $102 in Banjul versus $460 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 2745% 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 $64.0 in Banjul versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $151 in Banjul vs $236 in Petaling Jaya – so Banjul 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

Banjul vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Petaling Jaya is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $924 per month in Banjul and $1,367 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $616 in Banjul and $912 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $616 in Banjul and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – 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 Banjul. 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.