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: $813 in Gombak versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,221 in Gombak versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,629 in Gombak versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 11% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 39% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 MYR 10.49

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-22.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 75.0

$18.50 MYR 73.1

2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.85 MYR 15.23

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-16.49%

Cappuccino

$2.35 MYR 9.27

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-15.47%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.67 MYR 2.65

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.19

$3.57 MYR 14.08

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 19.49

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.54

$1.91 MYR 7.56

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.06

$0.97 MYR 3.82

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.88

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-16.76%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 MYR 41.71

$10.69 MYR 42.24

-1.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.76

$3.56 MYR 14.04

-2.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.57

$8.22 MYR 32.46

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.42

$2.69 MYR 10.61

-1.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.96

$2.48 MYR 9.81

1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.27 MYR 5.00

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.03

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.29 MYR 16.95

Wine (Bottle)

$20.51 MYR 81.0

$20.15 MYR 79.6

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.93

$2.77 MYR 10.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.15

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-2.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.75 MYR 2.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 46.88

$11.70 MYR 46.22

1.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.98 MYR 3.88

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.36

$0.35 MYR 1.38

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MYR 17.20

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-51.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-8.00%

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

$30.8K MYR 121.8K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

-3.09%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.2K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

-0.56%

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

$40.51 MYR 160

$40.25 MYR 159

0.65%

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

$9.68 MYR 38.26

$9.09 MYR 35.92

6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.57 MYR 89.2

$22.94 MYR 90.6

-1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 145

$37.39 MYR 148

-1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 22.64

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.01

$4.99 MYR 19.72

1.60%

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

$118 MYR 468

$214 MYR 846

-44.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,369 MYR 17.3K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-45.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 MYR 197

$48.73 MYR 192

2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.00 MYR 107

$33.82 MYR 134

-20.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 MYR 216

$55.0 MYR 217

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.28 MYR 191

$49.39 MYR 195

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,543

$471 MYR 1,860

-17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,082

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,510

$820 MYR 3,240

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,883

$555 MYR 2,190

-14.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 MYR 7,206

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-45.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 MYR 3,717

$211 MYR 833

346.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 MYR 2,238

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-67.74%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Gombak and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 210% 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 $233 vs $239 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 12% 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, Petaling Jaya earns 210% 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: $391 in Gombak versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $813 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 12% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.