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: $865 in George Town versus $912 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in George Town versus $1,335 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in George Town versus $1,758 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in George Town costs roughly 5% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 35% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$3.50 MYR 14.28

-14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.6

$19.15 MYR 78.2

12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.91

$4.78 MYR 19.52

-13.39%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.78 MYR 11.34

-7.19%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.72 MYR 2.96

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$3.61 MYR 14.75

16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$4.93 MYR 20.13

-6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$0.93 MYR 3.81

15.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$1.79 MYR 7.31

-8.94%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.9

$10.52 MYR 42.97

65.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.86

$3.41 MYR 13.91

49.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.15

$8.28 MYR 33.81

30.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$2.65 MYR 10.83

10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$2.53 MYR 10.32

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.20 MYR 4.90

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MYR 78.4

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.11

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.44

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-40.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 47.49

$11.59 MYR 47.33

0.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.02 MYR 4.16

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.33 MYR 1.34

39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MYR 26.96

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-29.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.46 MYR 1.87

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

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

9.44%

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

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

-11.89%

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

$38.72 MYR 158

$40.45 MYR 165

-4.28%

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

$9.78 MYR 39.94

$9.18 MYR 37.49

6.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.08 MYR 119

$22.64 MYR 92.4

28.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MYR 157

$37.27 MYR 152

3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MYR 15.55

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-48.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MYR 15.99

$4.88 MYR 19.94

-19.67%

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

$148 MYR 606

$208 MYR 850

-28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-43.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 215

$48.20 MYR 197

9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 MYR 116

$34.63 MYR 141

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$54.0 MYR 221

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MYR 214

$49.14 MYR 201

6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,488

$460 MYR 1,880

-20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,049

$340 MYR 1,389

-24.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,901

$826 MYR 3,374

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,019

$538 MYR 2,196

-8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MYR 4,378

$1,764 MYR 7,202

-39.22%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in George Town and $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 65% 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 $265 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Petaling Jaya. 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: $364 in George Town versus $460 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 0% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $148 in George Town versus $208 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 5% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.