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: $843 in Bintulu versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Bintulu versus $1,491 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,824 in Bintulu versus $1,946 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 19% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 38% lower, Petaling Jaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 MYR 15.88

$3.60 MYR 14.70

8.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.6

$24.59 MYR 100

-24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 MYR 23.57

$4.95 MYR 20.20

16.77%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$2.98 MYR 12.17

-0.67%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$0.92 MYR 3.75

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.94

$3.26 MYR 13.28

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.93

$5.89 MYR 24.01

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$1.87 MYR 7.62

15.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.05 MYR 4.28

30.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.51 MYR 6.15

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.90

$1.78 MYR 7.25

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.92 MYR 69.0

$9.85 MYR 40.17

71.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$3.36 MYR 13.72

2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 24.20

$9.56 MYR 39.00

-37.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$3.46 MYR 14.12

-51.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$1.92 MYR 7.83

-47.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.68 MYR 10.92

-37.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.82 MYR 7.42

-36.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$2.08 MYR 8.47

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.99 MYR 8.11

-39.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.50 MYR 6.10

-49.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$0.53 MYR 2.16

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$4.46 MYR 18.19

-5.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$19.38 MYR 79.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$2.63 MYR 10.74

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$4.52 MYR 18.43

-57.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.26 MYR 5.15

-4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MYR 65.9

$12.42 MYR 50.7

30.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.26 MYR 5.15

-20.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$0.36 MYR 1.47

147.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.77

$9.15 MYR 37.34

-73.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.79 MYR 3.20

-25.32%

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

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

$41.6K MYR 169.7K

8.23%

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

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

$32.4K MYR 132.4K

19.73%

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

$59.7 MYR 244

$49.66 MYR 203

20.22%

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

$31.36 MYR 128

$8.04 MYR 32.81

290.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 128

$27.49 MYR 112

13.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MYR 281

$51.9 MYR 212

32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$3.06 MYR 12.49

302.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MYR 18.22

$4.79 MYR 19.54

-6.68%

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

$129 MYR 528

$282 MYR 1,152

-54.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

$10.5K MYR 42.9K

-29.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 270

$50.9 MYR 208

29.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 MYR 143

$30.19 MYR 123

16.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 325

$78.9 MYR 322

0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 MYR 374

$84.4 MYR 344

8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MYR 892

$481 MYR 1,963

-54.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MYR 632

$401 MYR 1,634

-61.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,988

$861 MYR 3,511

-43.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MYR 1,378

$566 MYR 2,307

-40.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MYR 7,035

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

-46.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$975 MYR 3,977

16.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,458

$1,709 MYR 6,973

-64.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.51

-0.22%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bintulu and $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 184% 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: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $249 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 23% 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, salaries run 184% lower in Petaling Jaya. 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: $219 in Bintulu versus $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Bintulu versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 30% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $843 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 23% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.