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: $843 in George Town versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in George Town versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,769 in George Town versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in George Town costs roughly 7% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 37% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-12.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 MYR 84.3

$18.50 MYR 73.1

15.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-7.38%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-5.76%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.03

$0.67 MYR 2.65

14.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.20

$3.57 MYR 14.08

22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$0.97 MYR 3.82

15.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-6.70%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.50 MYR 69.1

$10.69 MYR 42.24

63.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 19.65

$3.56 MYR 14.04

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.35

$8.22 MYR 32.46

27.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.30

$2.69 MYR 10.61

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.53

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 8.90

$2.48 MYR 9.81

-9.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.27 MYR 5.00

0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.44

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.90 MYR 3.54

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.51

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 MYR 50.2

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-36.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.45

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.29

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-34.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 46.62

$11.70 MYR 46.22

0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$0.98 MYR 3.88

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.73

$0.35 MYR 1.38

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MYR 25.26

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-29.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-2.00%

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

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

7.03%

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

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

-10.92%

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

$38.18 MYR 151

$40.25 MYR 159

-5.14%

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

$9.68 MYR 38.23

$9.09 MYR 35.92

6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 114

$22.94 MYR 90.6

26.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MYR 152

$37.39 MYR 148

2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 MYR 14.94

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-49.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-17.23%

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

$146 MYR 578

$214 MYR 846

-31.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-42.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MYR 207

$48.73 MYR 192

7.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 MYR 113

$33.82 MYR 134

-15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 247

$55.0 MYR 217

13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MYR 206

$49.39 MYR 195

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,465

$471 MYR 1,860

-21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 999

$347 MYR 1,371

-27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,799

$820 MYR 3,240

-13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 1,969

$555 MYR 2,190

-10.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,112 MYR 4,393

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-36.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 58% 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 $239 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 58% 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: $371 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 1% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $146 in George Town versus $214 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 8% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.