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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Butterworth vs $920 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Butterworth vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,801 per month in Butterworth vs $1,762 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Butterworth is about 7% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Butterworth and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 36% lower, Petaling Jaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$3.59 MYR 14.70

-16.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.87 MYR 85.3

$18.95 MYR 77.5

10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.45

$4.62 MYR 18.89

2.81%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.17

$2.79 MYR 11.42

6.81%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.69 MYR 2.81

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.84

$3.63 MYR 14.84

13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 MYR 17.69

$5.11 MYR 20.88

-15.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.85 MYR 7.58

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$1.71 MYR 6.99

-2.92%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.65

$2.17 MYR 8.87

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 MYR 59.1

$10.65 MYR 43.54

35.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.48

$3.50 MYR 14.31

29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 39.26

$8.07 MYR 33.00

18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.92

$2.69 MYR 11.02

8.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.65

$2.52 MYR 10.32

3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.18

$1.22 MYR 4.99

23.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.82

$1.18 MYR 4.83

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.96

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-12.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.67

$0.88 MYR 3.61

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.59 MYR 2.40

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.47

$4.26 MYR 17.42

0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 MYR 78.6

$19.75 MYR 80.8

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.97

$2.70 MYR 11.03

-0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 MYR 14.53

$3.94 MYR 16.12

-9.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.72 MYR 2.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.97

$11.64 MYR 47.61

2.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.35 MYR 1.43

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 MYR 19.51

$9.32 MYR 38.11

-48.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$0.46 MYR 1.88

2.17%

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

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

3.14%

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

$26.9K MYR 110.2K

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

-2.81%

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

$39.21 MYR 160

$40.34 MYR 165

-2.80%

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

$10.28 MYR 42.04

$9.05 MYR 37.03

13.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.38 MYR 104

$22.74 MYR 93.0

11.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.06 MYR 152

$37.09 MYR 152

-0.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.82

$7.35 MYR 30.05

-20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.62

$4.81 MYR 19.68

4.78%

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

$235 MYR 960

$210 MYR 857

12.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,109 MYR 25.0K

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

-23.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 MYR 225

$49.98 MYR 204

9.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MYR 119

$33.86 MYR 139

-13.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 254

$55.2 MYR 226

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.2 MYR 214

$48.48 MYR 198

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,578

$456 MYR 1,866

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,095

$344 MYR 1,405

-22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,667

$817 MYR 3,343

-20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,921

$537 MYR 2,198

-12.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,452

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

-35.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,178 MYR 4,820

$210 MYR 859

461.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.49

-7.35%

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

Last update for Butterworth: July 12, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Butterworth versus $456 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Butterworth versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $236 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Butterworth, $920 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 8% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Butterworth and $1,381 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, 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 $852 in Butterworth and $920 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Butterworth and $920 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Butterworth to $920 in Petaling Jaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Butterworth. 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.