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: $841 in Cheras versus $1,045 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Cheras versus $1,671 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,716 in Cheras versus $2,296 in Boksburg.

Living in Cheras costs roughly 19% less than in Boksburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheras 37% lower, Boksburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$11.15 R 185

-67.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.90 MYR 77.3

$42.75 R 708

-55.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.55

$4.74 R 78.5

0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.13

$2.17 R 35.85

36.87%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.40

$1.03 R 17.05

-19.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.77 R 12.70

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 MYR 18.85

$2.27 R 37.50

103.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 MYR 27.45

$2.82 R 46.63

137.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.19 R 19.77

58.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$1.03 R 17.02

-7.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.27

$1.58 R 26.22

-18.35%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.46

$2.54 R 42.00

-18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 MYR 63.6

$7.90 R 131

96.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.78

$4.68 R 77.5

-22.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 MYR 30.44

$6.53 R 108

13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.80

$1.70 R 28.13

55.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.52 R 25.22

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$1.61 R 26.71

54.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.96

$1.61 R 26.67

-24.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.98

$1.50 R 24.89

-2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.46

$1.44 R 23.83

-7.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$1.09 R 18.06

-13.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$1.17 R 19.32

-56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MYR 16.85

$3.03 R 50.2

35.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 MYR 58.5

$6.20 R 103

130.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$1.31 R 21.67

119.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.35

$1.78 R 29.41

124.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$1.61 R 26.72

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.89 MYR 48.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.09 R 18.04

-11.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$0.96 R 15.95

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 MYR 37.89

$3.06 R 50.6

202.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$1.26 R 20.82

-62.70%

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

$49.5K MYR 202.4K

$19.2K R 317.3K

158.27%

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

$30.9K MYR 126.5K

$23.6K R 389.9K

31.36%

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

$41.01 MYR 168

$124 R 2,059

-67.02%

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

$9.40 MYR 38.45

$40.35 R 668

-76.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.02 MYR 127

$42.65 R 706

-27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 MYR 170

$28.01 R 464

48.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.43

$6.83 R 113

-12.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.97

$7.70 R 128

-36.62%

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

$186 MYR 762

$195 R 3,220

-4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,780 MYR 27.7K

$4,968 R 82.2K

36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 263

$50.9 R 843

26.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 MYR 139

$32.01 R 530

6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 MYR 296

$89.6 R 1,483

-19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.91 MYR 196

$80.0 R 1,324

-40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,539

$300 R 4,972

25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MYR 965

$332 R 5,502

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,665

$625 R 10.4K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 MYR 1,759

$720 R 11.9K

-40.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 MYR 4,760

$890 R 14.7K

30.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.51

-64.64%

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

Last update for Cheras: July 11, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Cheras and $300 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheras pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Cheras vs $43.00 in Boksburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $186, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($841 vs $1,045 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $376 in Cheras versus $300 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boksburg pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $841 per month in Cheras versus $1,045 in Boksburg – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cheras gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 24% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.