Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Montana Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Montana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Cheras vs $826 in Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Cheras vs $1,345 in Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,719 per month in Cheras vs $1,864 in Montana, rent included.

Cheras costs about 4% more than Montana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheras and Montana are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 35% lower, Montana 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$10.49 BGN 17.45

-66.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$35.73 BGN 59.4

-46.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.08

$7.78 BGN 12.94

-39.97%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$1.43 BGN 2.38

104.20%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$1.40 BGN 2.33

-43.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.85 BGN 1.42

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 19.32

$1.37 BGN 2.28

245.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.58

$1.09 BGN 1.81

496.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.64

$1.65 BGN 2.74

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.94 BGN 1.56

6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.29

$1.77 BGN 2.94

-26.55%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.57

$2.74 BGN 4.56

-23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.9

$9.17 BGN 15.26

70.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.24

$3.26 BGN 5.43

14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 MYR 31.58

$13.08 BGN 21.75

-40.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.22

$1.25 BGN 2.08

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-30.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.50

$2.02 BGN 3.35

27.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.09 BGN 3.47

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$0.83 BGN 1.38

75.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$0.77 BGN 1.29

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$1.40 BGN 2.33

-36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.51 BGN 0.85

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.61

$3.62 BGN 6.03

19.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 MYR 56.4

$6.28 BGN 10.44

119.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.16

$0.92 BGN 1.53

196.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 16.01

$1.73 BGN 2.87

126.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.90 BGN 1.50

-48.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 49.02

$35.55 BGN 59.1

-66.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.62 BGN 1.03

66.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.41 BGN 0.67

151.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 MYR 37.37

$10.25 BGN 17.05

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-71.07%

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

$49.6K MYR 202.8K

$20.2K BGN 33.7K

145.26%

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

$31.7K MYR 129.5K

$24.9K BGN 41.4K

27.37%

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

$41.39 MYR 169

$102 BGN 169

-59.37%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.92

$17.03 BGN 28.33

-46.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MYR 124

$8.93 BGN 14.85

240.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 MYR 169

$20.94 BGN 34.83

97.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.27

$8.70 BGN 14.48

-31.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.91

$5.46 BGN 9.08

-10.81%

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

$185 MYR 757

$326 BGN 542

-43.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

$5,449 BGN 9,065

28.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$53.0 BGN 88.2

22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 140

$29.12 BGN 48.45

17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$74.6 BGN 124

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.69 MYR 199

$104 BGN 173

-53.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,562

$225 BGN 374

69.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 946

$161 BGN 268

43.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,675

$415 BGN 690

57.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,742

$308 BGN 512

38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,326 BGN 2,207

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,098 BGN 1,826

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 MYR 4,869

$1,014 BGN 1,687

17.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

3.2

27.19%

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

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montana: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Cheras versus $225 in Montana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Cheras, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $36.00 in Montana. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Cheras vs $203 in Montana – so Montana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Cheras and $1,239 in Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $36.00 in Montana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $859 in Cheras and $826 in Montana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Montana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Montana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.