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 $926 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,412 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor costs about 2% 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

$3.45 MYR 13.98

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.76 MYR 76.1

$18.88 MYR 76.6

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 19.16

$4.69 MYR 19.02

0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$2.71 MYR 10.99

10.33%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.68 MYR 2.74

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.37 MYR 1.49

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 MYR 19.28

$3.51 MYR 14.24

35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.59

$4.96 MYR 20.10

22.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$0.95 MYR 3.85

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.73

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-4.60%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 MYR 63.6

$10.81 MYR 43.82

44.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 MYR 20.79

$3.56 MYR 14.45

44.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 MYR 38.55

$7.94 MYR 32.21

19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.59

$2.76 MYR 11.18

3.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.34

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-9.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.80

$2.47 MYR 10.04

17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.52

$1.21 MYR 4.89

53.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.15 MYR 4.65

31.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.35

$1.38 MYR 5.58

31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$0.94 MYR 3.83

29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.69

$4.13 MYR 16.74

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 MYR 58.0

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-26.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.14

$2.74 MYR 11.09

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.07

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.13

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.99 MYR 4.00

21.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$0.32 MYR 1.32

206.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MYR 19.29

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-49.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.47 MYR 1.90

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

$35.3K MYR 143.3K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

12.92%

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

$32.6K MYR 132.3K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

15.86%

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

$45.07 MYR 183

$40.93 MYR 166

10.11%

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

$9.53 MYR 38.66

$8.87 MYR 35.97

7.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.14 MYR 126

$23.16 MYR 93.9

34.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 MYR 152

$36.87 MYR 149

1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 MYR 24.55

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-16.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 20.14

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-0.80%

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

$209 MYR 846

$209 MYR 849

-0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,995 MYR 28.4K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-13.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 249

$48.47 MYR 197

26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.02 MYR 150

$33.99 MYR 138

8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 MYR 344

$53.9 MYR 219

57.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 MYR 291

$48.57 MYR 197

47.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,589

$471 MYR 1,911

-16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,104

$347 MYR 1,407

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,588

$817 MYR 3,311

-21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,948

$543 MYR 2,200

-11.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,170 MYR 8,800

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-31.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,029 MYR 4,174

$210 MYR 851

390.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 MYR 2,487

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-64.80%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Kajang, Selangor versus $471 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.

Salaries run about 184% higher in Petaling Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $257 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: $926 in Kajang, Selangor, $909 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 2% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,364 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 $926 in Kajang, Selangor and $909 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $926 in Kajang, Selangor and $909 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $909 in Petaling Jaya to $926 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.