Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor costs about 1% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 31% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.76

$3.50 MYR 14.28

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MYR 76.1

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.57

$4.78 MYR 19.52

0.21%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.77

$2.78 MYR 11.34

12.59%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$0.72 MYR 2.96

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.39 MYR 1.60

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 MYR 19.10

$3.61 MYR 14.75

29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 MYR 24.65

$4.93 MYR 20.13

22.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.38

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.93 MYR 3.81

9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.71

$1.79 MYR 7.31

-8.38%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.74

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.61 MYR 63.7

$10.52 MYR 42.97

48.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 MYR 20.92

$3.41 MYR 13.91

50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.73

$8.28 MYR 33.81

14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$2.65 MYR 10.83

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.60

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.74

$2.53 MYR 10.32

13.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.20 MYR 4.90

55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.19

$1.18 MYR 4.80

28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.39 MYR 5.68

25.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.96 MYR 3.93

27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.04

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-28.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.25

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-24.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.76

$11.59 MYR 47.33

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.02 MYR 4.16

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.33 MYR 1.34

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MYR 19.15

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-50.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.46 MYR 1.87

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

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

14.72%

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

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

17.20%

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

$46.16 MYR 188

$40.45 MYR 165

14.12%

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

$9.60 MYR 39.19

$9.18 MYR 37.49

4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.97 MYR 126

$22.64 MYR 92.4

36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 150

$37.27 MYR 152

-1.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.39

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-18.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.74

$4.88 MYR 19.94

4.10%

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

$214 MYR 875

$208 MYR 850

2.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-13.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$48.20 MYR 197

24.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 MYR 154

$34.63 MYR 141

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 349

$54.0 MYR 221

58.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$49.14 MYR 201

45.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,605

$460 MYR 1,880

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,100

$340 MYR 1,389

-20.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,608

$826 MYR 3,374

-22.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,896

$538 MYR 2,196

-13.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,284

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-34.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 MYR 4,951

$204 MYR 834

493.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kajang, Selangor versus $460 in Petaling Jaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Kajang, Selangor vs $236 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kajang, Selangor vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $925 in Kajang, Selangor, $912 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 1% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,367 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Kajang, Selangor and $912 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Kajang, Selangor at $925. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kajang, Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $912 in Petaling Jaya to $925 in Kajang, Selangor. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kajang, Selangor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.