Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $819 in Gombak versus $912 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,234 in Gombak versus $1,335 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,648 in Gombak versus $1,758 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 10% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 MYR 10.63

$3.50 MYR 14.28

-25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 MYR 78.3

$19.15 MYR 78.2

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 MYR 15.52

$4.78 MYR 19.52

-20.50%

Cappuccino

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$2.78 MYR 11.34

-19.06%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.91

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.64

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.96

$4.93 MYR 20.13

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.12

$0.93 MYR 3.81

8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.79 MYR 7.31

-20.11%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.46

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 MYR 43.13

$10.52 MYR 42.97

0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 14.04

$3.41 MYR 13.91

0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 MYR 32.58

$8.28 MYR 33.81

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.29

$2.65 MYR 10.83

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.68 MYR 6.87

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.37

$2.53 MYR 10.32

0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.20 MYR 4.90

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.80

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-25.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.85

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.32 MYR 78.9

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 MYR 10.92

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.99

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.39

$11.59 MYR 47.33

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$0.33 MYR 1.34

236.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-55.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.46 MYR 1.87

6.52%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.6K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

0.74%

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

$28.0K MYR 114.2K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

-1.04%

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

$41.18 MYR 168

$40.45 MYR 165

1.80%

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

$9.75 MYR 39.80

$9.18 MYR 37.49

6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.07 MYR 94.2

$22.64 MYR 92.4

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 MYR 150

$37.27 MYR 152

-1.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.27

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-19.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 20.37

$4.88 MYR 19.94

2.25%

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

$116 MYR 472

$208 MYR 850

-44.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,317 MYR 17.6K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-46.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.23 MYR 201

$48.20 MYR 197

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.21 MYR 111

$34.63 MYR 141

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 MYR 224

$54.0 MYR 221

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.55 MYR 202

$49.14 MYR 201

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,550

$460 MYR 1,880

-17.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,102

$340 MYR 1,389

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,678

$826 MYR 3,374

-20.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,919

$538 MYR 2,196

-12.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,115 MYR 8,637

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-32.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,640

$204 MYR 834

456.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 MYR 2,235

$1,764 MYR 7,202

-68.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.49

-11.80%

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

Last update for Gombak: July 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Gombak and $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 222% 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: $19.00 in Gombak vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $236 per month, with Gombak 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

Gombak vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gombak wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gombak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 222% 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: $380 in Gombak versus $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Petaling Jaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gombak – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gombak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $819 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gombak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gombak 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 Gombak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.