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 $619 per month in Banjul vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,112 per month in Banjul vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,605 per month in Banjul vs $1,765 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

$5.43 GMD 401

$3.63 MYR 14.70

49.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 GMD 4,723

$18.88 MYR 76.6

238.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 GMD 488

$4.69 MYR 19.02

40.94%

Cappuccino

$2.55 GMD 188

$2.71 MYR 10.99

-5.90%

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

$2.15 GMD 159

$0.68 MYR 2.74

216.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 GMD 99.9

$0.37 MYR 1.49

264.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 GMD 289

$3.51 MYR 14.24

11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 GMD 302

$4.96 MYR 20.10

-17.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 GMD 104

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-26.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 GMD 38.60

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-45.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 GMD 100

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-22.41%

Eggs

$1.96 GMD 145

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 GMD 483

$10.81 MYR 43.82

-39.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 GMD 212

$3.56 MYR 14.45

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 GMD 440

$7.94 MYR 32.21

-24.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 GMD 161

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-21.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 GMD 95.1

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-25.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 GMD 138

$2.47 MYR 10.04

-24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 GMD 103

$1.21 MYR 4.89

14.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 GMD 68.0

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 GMD 76.4

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 GMD 17.56

$0.94 MYR 3.83

-74.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 GMD 28.83

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 GMD 132

$4.13 MYR 16.74

-56.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 GMD 470

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-67.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GMD 112

$2.74 MYR 11.09

-44.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 GMD 133

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-52.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 GMD 16.28

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-71.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.59 GMD 487

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-44.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 GMD 25.05

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-65.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 GMD 53.6

$0.32 MYR 1.32

128.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 GMD 319

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-53.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GMD 83.5

$0.47 MYR 1.90

140.43%

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

$2,737 GMD 202.2K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

-91.25%

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

$3,441 GMD 254.1K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

-87.78%

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

$32.26 GMD 2,382

$40.93 MYR 166

-21.18%

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

$15.04 GMD 1,111

$8.87 MYR 35.97

69.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 GMD 3,434

$23.16 MYR 93.9

100.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.86 GMD 1,836

$36.87 MYR 149

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 GMD 1,067

$7.22 MYR 29.28

100.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 GMD 257

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-30.54%

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

$6.90 GMD 509

$209 MYR 849

-96.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$141 GMD 10.4K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-98.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 GMD 4,215

$48.47 MYR 197

17.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 GMD 3,308

$33.99 MYR 138

31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 GMD 7,468

$53.9 MYR 219

87.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 GMD 6,318

$48.57 MYR 197

76.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,588

$471 MYR 1,911

-78.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.2 GMD 3,929

$347 MYR 1,407

-84.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 GMD 16.7K

$817 MYR 3,311

-72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 GMD 10.3K

$543 MYR 2,200

-74.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,445 GMD 106.7K

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-54.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,141 GMD 84.3K

$210 MYR 851

443.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$58.5 GMD 4,318

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-96.64%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 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 2880% 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 – $152 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 47%, 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 $928 per month in Banjul and $1,364 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 $619 in Banjul and $909 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% 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 $619 in Banjul and $909 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.