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: $933 in Gombak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,387 in Gombak versus $1,491 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,841 in Gombak versus $1,946 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 10% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 32% lower, Petaling Jaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.52

$3.60 MYR 14.75

5.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.48 MYR 100

$24.59 MYR 101

-0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.50

$4.95 MYR 20.26

1.21%

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.62

$2.98 MYR 12.21

3.36%

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

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$0.92 MYR 3.77

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.42 MYR 1.70

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$3.26 MYR 13.33

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 MYR 23.91

$5.89 MYR 24.09

-0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.87 MYR 7.65

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.05 MYR 4.29

3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.09

$1.51 MYR 6.17

-1.32%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.50

$1.78 MYR 7.27

2.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.42

$9.85 MYR 40.31

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$3.36 MYR 13.76

-3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 39.10

$9.56 MYR 39.13

-0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.15

$3.46 MYR 14.17

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-1.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.31

$2.68 MYR 10.95

2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.12

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.83

$2.08 MYR 8.50

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 MYR 8.07

$1.99 MYR 8.14

-1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MYR 6.09

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.31

$0.53 MYR 2.17

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 MYR 18.31

$4.46 MYR 18.25

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 78.4

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.63 MYR 10.77

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.99

$4.52 MYR 18.49

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.11 MYR 49.56

$12.42 MYR 50.8

-2.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.26 MYR 5.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.36 MYR 1.47

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 MYR 37.66

$9.15 MYR 37.46

0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-2.53%

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

$42.2K MYR 172.8K

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

1.51%

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

$32.6K MYR 133.4K

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

0.43%

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

$48.90 MYR 200

$49.66 MYR 203

-1.53%

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

$8.16 MYR 33.38

$8.04 MYR 32.92

1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.03 MYR 111

$27.49 MYR 113

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 MYR 162

$51.9 MYR 212

-23.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.57

$3.06 MYR 12.53

135.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 MYR 12.78

$4.79 MYR 19.60

-34.86%

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

$283 MYR 1,158

$282 MYR 1,155

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 MYR 212

$50.9 MYR 208

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.41 MYR 124

$30.19 MYR 124

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 MYR 316

$78.9 MYR 323

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 MYR 358

$84.4 MYR 345

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,733

$481 MYR 1,969

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,301

$401 MYR 1,640

-20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MYR 2,760

$861 MYR 3,523

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 MYR 1,778

$566 MYR 2,315

-23.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,545

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

-27.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 MYR 4,527

$975 MYR 3,990

13.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 MYR 2,227

$1,709 MYR 6,996

-68.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Gombak: September 13, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Gombak and $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 214% 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: $24.00 in Gombak vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $249 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 214% 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: $423 in Gombak versus $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $24.00 versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $933 in Gombak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gombak but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Gombak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $933 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.