Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 30% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-46.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 MYR 80.0

$18.50 MYR 73.1

9.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.09

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-17.14%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-16.19%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.67 MYR 2.65

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$3.57 MYR 14.08

-15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MYR 18.71

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-8.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.63

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$0.97 MYR 3.82

16.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MYR 2.41

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-65.92%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.34

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.05 MYR 87.1

$10.69 MYR 42.24

106.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.27

$3.56 MYR 14.04

37.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.64

$8.22 MYR 32.46

28.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.27

$2.69 MYR 10.61

43.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$1.73 MYR 6.84

2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.41

$2.48 MYR 9.81

37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$1.27 MYR 5.00

102.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$1.19 MYR 4.69

43.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$0.90 MYR 3.54

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 MYR 76.0

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 16.70

$2.77 MYR 10.94

52.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-34.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$11.70 MYR 46.22

1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.35 MYR 1.38

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-53.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

38.47%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

11.96%

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

$26.25 MYR 104

$40.25 MYR 159

-34.78%

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

$9.95 MYR 39.29

$9.09 MYR 35.92

9.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 112

$22.94 MYR 90.6

23.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 143

$37.39 MYR 148

-3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.72

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-19.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-13.83%

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

$117 MYR 461

$214 MYR 846

-45.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-46.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.96 MYR 47.25

$48.73 MYR 192

-75.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 MYR 249

$33.82 MYR 134

86.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.31 MYR 92.1

$55.0 MYR 217

-57.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MYR 316

$49.39 MYR 195

61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,514

$471 MYR 1,860

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 MYR 233

$347 MYR 1,371

-83.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,556

$820 MYR 3,240

-21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$555 MYR 2,190

-15.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,853

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-44.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.49

-11.80%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Bukit Mertajam and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 80% 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: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $239 per month, with Petaling Jaya 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Petaling Jaya differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($639 vs $910 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 80% 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: $383 in Bukit Mertajam versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $910 in Petaling Jaya – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $910 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.