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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $781 in Bintulu versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bintulu versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 14% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 42% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 14.66

$3.44 MYR 13.59

7.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.73 MYR 70.0

$18.50 MYR 73.1

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 MYR 22.40

$4.61 MYR 18.21

22.99%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.07

$2.78 MYR 10.97

0.72%

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

$0.62 MYR 2.44

$0.67 MYR 2.65

-7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.36 MYR 1.43

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.05

$3.57 MYR 14.08

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-5.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-8.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.45

$0.97 MYR 3.82

42.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.21

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-26.26%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.34

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 65.7

$10.69 MYR 42.24

55.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 MYR 13.17

$3.56 MYR 14.04

-6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$8.22 MYR 32.46

-29.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.36

$2.69 MYR 10.61

-40.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-47.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.44

$2.48 MYR 9.81

-34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.27 MYR 5.00

-12.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.90 MYR 3.54

-18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.66

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.12

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 75.5

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.01

$2.77 MYR 10.94

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-51.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$0.75 MYR 2.97

61.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 MYR 62.6

$11.70 MYR 46.22

35.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.63

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$0.35 MYR 1.38

151.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MYR 9.46

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-73.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.50 MYR 1.98

2.00%

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

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

34.36%

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

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

36.22%

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

$57.9 MYR 229

$40.25 MYR 159

43.75%

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

$9.27 MYR 36.61

$9.09 MYR 35.92

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.53 MYR 117

$22.94 MYR 90.6

28.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 MYR 259

$37.39 MYR 148

75.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.71

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-19.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MYR 16.84

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-14.63%

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

$122 MYR 483

$214 MYR 846

-42.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 250

$48.73 MYR 192

29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 MYR 133

$33.82 MYR 134

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 MYR 303

$55.0 MYR 217

39.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MYR 353

$49.39 MYR 195

81.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 843

$471 MYR 1,860

-54.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 597

$347 MYR 1,371

-56.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$820 MYR 3,240

-43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,248

$555 MYR 2,190

-43.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 MYR 7,234

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-44.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 MYR 4,732

$211 MYR 833

467.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 MYR 2,525

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-63.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.49

0.22%

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

Last update for Bintulu: April 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Bintulu and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 175% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $239 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 175% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $213 in Bintulu versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Bintulu versus $910 in Petaling Jaya – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 36% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $781 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Petaling Jaya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.