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 $617 per month in Banjul vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Banjul vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Banjul vs $1,798 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

$5.32 GMD 395

$3.44 MYR 13.59

54.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.3 GMD 4,843

$18.50 MYR 73.1

252.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 GMD 502

$4.61 MYR 18.21

46.64%

Cappuccino

$2.48 GMD 184

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-10.79%

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

$2.23 GMD 165

$0.67 MYR 2.65

232.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 GMD 97.0

$0.36 MYR 1.43

263.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 GMD 301

$3.57 MYR 14.08

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 GMD 311

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-18.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 GMD 106

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 GMD 42.19

$0.97 MYR 3.82

-41.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 GMD 106

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-20.67%

Eggs

$2.01 GMD 149

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 GMD 466

$10.69 MYR 42.24

-41.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 GMD 208

$3.56 MYR 14.04

-21.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 GMD 442

$8.22 MYR 32.46

-27.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 GMD 161

$2.69 MYR 10.61

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 GMD 97.7

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 GMD 142

$2.48 MYR 9.81

-22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 GMD 107

$1.27 MYR 5.00

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 GMD 71.2

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 GMD 76.4

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 GMD 19.32

$0.90 MYR 3.54

-71.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 GMD 31.21

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 GMD 135

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-57.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 GMD 487

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GMD 113

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 GMD 128

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-56.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 GMD 14.81

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.71 GMD 498

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-42.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 GMD 24.70

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-66.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 GMD 50.8

$0.35 MYR 1.38

94.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 GMD 313

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-53.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GMD 83.6

$0.50 MYR 1.98

126.00%

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

$2,719 GMD 201.7K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

-91.46%

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

$3,451 GMD 255.9K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

-87.70%

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

$31.54 GMD 2,339

$40.25 MYR 159

-21.64%

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

$14.86 GMD 1,102

$9.09 MYR 35.92

63.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 GMD 3,555

$22.94 MYR 90.6

108.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.43 GMD 1,812

$37.39 MYR 148

-34.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 GMD 1,054

$7.48 MYR 29.55

89.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 GMD 269

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-27.45%

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

$7.12 GMD 528

$214 MYR 846

-96.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$143 GMD 10.6K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-98.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 GMD 4,164

$48.73 MYR 192

15.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 GMD 3,246

$33.82 MYR 134

29.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 GMD 7,451

$55.0 MYR 217

82.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 GMD 6,384

$49.39 MYR 195

74.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,663

$471 MYR 1,860

-78.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.4 GMD 4,038

$347 MYR 1,371

-84.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 GMD 16.9K

$820 MYR 3,240

-72.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 GMD 10.7K

$555 MYR 2,190

-73.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,437 GMD 106.6K

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-56.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 GMD 85.9K

$211 MYR 833

449.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$60.4 GMD 4,481

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-96.56%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $471 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 2808% 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 $65.0 in Banjul versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Banjul vs $239 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 $925 per month in Banjul and $1,365 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 $617 in Banjul and $910 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $617 in Banjul and $910 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.