Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $828 in George Town versus $909 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in George Town versus $1,337 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in George Town versus $1,765 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in George Town costs roughly 9% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 38% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 MYR 12.71

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-13.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 MYR 86.4

$18.88 MYR 76.6

12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.80

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.46

$2.71 MYR 10.99

-4.80%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$0.68 MYR 2.74

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$3.51 MYR 14.24

21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 MYR 19.42

$4.96 MYR 20.10

-3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$0.95 MYR 3.85

17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.85

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-2.87%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.32

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 MYR 71.0

$10.81 MYR 43.82

62.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.07

$3.56 MYR 14.45

39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.24

$7.94 MYR 32.21

34.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MYR 11.44

$2.76 MYR 11.18

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-17.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.87

$2.47 MYR 10.04

-11.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.21 MYR 4.89

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.59

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-12.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.94 MYR 3.83

-26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MYR 16.28

$4.13 MYR 16.74

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 MYR 50.9

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-35.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.68

$2.74 MYR 11.09

-4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.72

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-35.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 46.89

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-3.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$0.99 MYR 4.00

17.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$0.32 MYR 1.32

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MYR 26.80

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-29.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.47 MYR 1.90

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

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

6.05%

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

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

-12.23%

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

$38.53 MYR 156

$40.93 MYR 166

-5.86%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.25

$8.87 MYR 35.97

11.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.52 MYR 120

$23.16 MYR 93.9

27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 MYR 157

$36.87 MYR 149

5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.66 MYR 14.85

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-49.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MYR 16.45

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-18.96%

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

$150 MYR 607

$209 MYR 849

-28.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-43.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MYR 206

$48.47 MYR 197

4.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 MYR 118

$33.99 MYR 138

-14.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$53.9 MYR 219

12.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 213

$48.57 MYR 197

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,501

$471 MYR 1,911

-21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 MYR 1,051

$347 MYR 1,407

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,887

$817 MYR 3,311

-12.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,018

$543 MYR 2,200

-8.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 MYR 4,400

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-37.72%

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 George Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in George Town and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 61% 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: $21.00 in George Town vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $236 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

George Town vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 61% 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: $370 in George Town versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 4% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $209 in Petaling Jaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Petaling Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.