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: $802 in Gombak versus $909 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,233 in Gombak versus $1,337 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,665 in Gombak versus $1,765 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 12% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 40% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 76.8

$18.88 MYR 76.6

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 15.17

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.22 MYR 8.98

$2.71 MYR 10.99

-18.08%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.94

$0.68 MYR 2.74

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.36

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$3.51 MYR 14.24

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.96 MYR 20.10

1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.73

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.05

$0.95 MYR 3.85

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.84

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-17.24%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.51

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 MYR 43.70

$10.81 MYR 43.82

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.41

$3.56 MYR 14.45

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 MYR 32.87

$7.94 MYR 32.21

2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.92

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.73 MYR 7.02

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 10.10

$2.47 MYR 10.04

0.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$1.21 MYR 4.89

-1.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.66

$1.15 MYR 4.65

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.02

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.94 MYR 3.83

1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$4.13 MYR 16.74

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.77 MYR 80.2

$19.45 MYR 78.9

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.15

$2.74 MYR 11.09

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.73

$3.77 MYR 15.30

2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.15

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$0.32 MYR 1.32

243.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 MYR 17.12

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-54.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

0.97%

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

$27.5K MYR 111.3K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

-2.51%

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

$41.15 MYR 167

$40.93 MYR 166

0.54%

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

$9.55 MYR 38.74

$8.87 MYR 35.97

7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 MYR 93.0

$23.16 MYR 93.9

-0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 147

$36.87 MYR 149

-1.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.75 MYR 23.33

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-20.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.52

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-3.99%

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

$116 MYR 471

$209 MYR 849

-44.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-47.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.29 MYR 196

$48.47 MYR 197

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 MYR 111

$33.99 MYR 138

-19.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.6 MYR 217

$53.9 MYR 219

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.92 MYR 198

$48.57 MYR 197

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,590

$471 MYR 1,911

-16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,079

$347 MYR 1,407

-23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,611

$817 MYR 3,311

-21.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,916

$543 MYR 2,200

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,000 MYR 8,110

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-36.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$956 MYR 3,877

$210 MYR 851

355.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,238

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-68.33%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Gombak and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 216% 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 $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 13% 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 216% 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: $392 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 1% 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 $802 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 13% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.