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 $941 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,420 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor costs about 3% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 30% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$3.44 MYR 13.59

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 MYR 75.9

$18.50 MYR 73.1

3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$4.61 MYR 18.21

1.52%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.35

$2.78 MYR 10.97

12.59%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.67 MYR 2.65

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.36 MYR 1.43

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 18.68

$3.57 MYR 14.08

32.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 MYR 23.56

$5.17 MYR 20.44

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-5.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$0.97 MYR 3.82

8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.62

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-6.15%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.21

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.70 MYR 62.0

$10.69 MYR 42.24

46.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 MYR 19.93

$3.56 MYR 14.04

41.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 39.15

$8.22 MYR 32.46

20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.65

$2.69 MYR 10.61

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$2.48 MYR 9.81

11.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MYR 7.42

$1.27 MYR 5.00

48.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.19 MYR 4.69

27.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.09

$1.34 MYR 5.29

33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$0.90 MYR 3.54

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.03

$4.29 MYR 16.95

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 76.0

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-25.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.19

$11.70 MYR 46.22

2.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$0.98 MYR 3.88

22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.35 MYR 1.38

182.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MYR 18.09

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-49.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-2.00%

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

$34.7K MYR 137.2K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

9.15%

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

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

16.10%

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

$45.66 MYR 180

$40.25 MYR 159

13.44%

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

$9.57 MYR 37.79

$9.09 MYR 35.92

5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.09 MYR 123

$22.94 MYR 90.6

35.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$37.39 MYR 148

0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.92

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-22.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 19.82

$4.99 MYR 19.72

0.60%

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

$209 MYR 827

$214 MYR 846

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,850 MYR 27.1K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-14.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$48.73 MYR 192

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 MYR 149

$33.82 MYR 134

11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MYR 343

$55.0 MYR 217

58.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$49.39 MYR 195

44.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,532

$471 MYR 1,860

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,077

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MYR 2,548

$820 MYR 3,240

-21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,834

$555 MYR 2,190

-16.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 MYR 6,777

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 MYR 4,038

$211 MYR 833

384.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 MYR 2,490

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-64.12%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 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 179% 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 – $267 in Kajang, Selangor vs $239 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: $941 in Kajang, Selangor, $910 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 3% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,412 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,365 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $910 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $910 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 $910 in Petaling Jaya to $941 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.