Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Boksburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Boksburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,143 in Cheras versus $1,267 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,558 in Cheras versus $1,967 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,973 in Cheras versus $2,667 in Boksburg.

Living in Cheras costs roughly 10% less than in Boksburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheras 17% lower, Boksburg 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 MYR 14.94

$12.56 R 202

-70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 MYR 100

$46.33 R 746

-46.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$5.64 R 90.8

-14.72%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.34 R 37.63

32.91%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$1.13 R 18.12

-23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.93 R 14.94

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$2.21 R 35.54

100.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 MYR 25.83

$2.73 R 44.01

132.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.75

$1.35 R 21.82

41.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.22

$1.21 R 19.48

-14.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.78 R 28.62

-19.10%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.52

$2.67 R 43.04

-30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 MYR 73.3

$9.30 R 150

93.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$5.57 R 89.7

-18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.69

$8.83 R 142

24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.47

$1.91 R 30.74

86.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$1.67 R 26.96

11.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.82

$1.86 R 29.96

43.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$1.93 R 31.04

-12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.60

$1.80 R 29.07

17.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.91

$1.91 R 30.73

-10.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.22 R 19.58

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$1.33 R 21.48

-61.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.60

$3.49 R 56.2

24.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 MYR 57.1

$6.43 R 103

118.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.38

$1.56 R 25.15

79.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.69

$1.98 R 31.95

57.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$0.32 R 5.23

296.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.79 R 12.67

-55.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 MYR 38.63

$15.22 R 245

-37.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$1.50 R 24.22

-47.33%

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

$42.9K MYR 174.7K

$36.5K R 588.3K

17.54%

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

$34.8K MYR 141.7K

$34.4K R 554.3K

1.19%

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

$49.55 MYR 202

$222 R 3,574

-77.67%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.83

$39.12 R 630

-71.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MYR 113

$38.72 R 624

-28.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MYR 208

$29.35 R 473

74.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.88

$8.40 R 135

-41.79%

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

$163 MYR 662

$257 R 4,145

-36.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,548 MYR 18.5K

$5,776 R 93.0K

-21.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MYR 265

$54.5 R 878

19.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.08 MYR 122

$48.11 R 775

-37.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 331

$106 R 1,708

-23.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 MYR 346

$111 R 1,794

-23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MYR 3,888

$340 R 5,477

181.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,925

$361 R 5,814

31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 MYR 3,040

$676 R 10.9K

10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,980

$793 R 12.8K

-38.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 MYR 4,776

$915 R 14.7K

28.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.91

-62.79%

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

Last update for Cheras: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Cheras and $340 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheras pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Cheras vs $46.00 in Boksburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $217, with Boksburg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cheras vs Boksburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheras and Boksburg differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,143 vs $1,267 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Cheras, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Cheras versus $340 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boksburg pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,143 per month in Cheras versus $1,267 in Boksburg – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,143 in Cheras versus $1,267 in Boksburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cheras but tight or insufficient in Boksburg. The gap between the two cities makes Cheras 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, Cheras and Boksburg 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 Cheras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.