Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Kedah versus $912 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Kedah versus $1,335 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Kedah versus $1,758 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 5% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 35% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 MYR 12.17

$3.50 MYR 14.28

-14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.7

$19.15 MYR 78.2

10.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.85

$4.78 MYR 19.53

-13.60%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.55

$2.78 MYR 11.34

1.80%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MYR 18.12

$3.61 MYR 14.75

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MYR 18.42

$4.93 MYR 20.13

-8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$0.93 MYR 3.81

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-32.96%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.11 MYR 61.7

$10.52 MYR 42.97

43.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MYR 21.15

$3.41 MYR 13.92

51.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.9

$8.28 MYR 33.81

77.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.90

$2.65 MYR 10.83

9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.00

$2.53 MYR 10.32

6.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.55

$1.20 MYR 4.91

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-15.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.26

$4.20 MYR 17.17

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.23 MYR 86.7

$19.92 MYR 81.3

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.77

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.24

$11.59 MYR 47.34

1.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-29.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.33 MYR 1.34

51.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.15

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-26.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

8.57%

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

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

-1.16%

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

$39.27 MYR 160

$40.45 MYR 165

-2.92%

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

$10.03 MYR 40.95

$9.18 MYR 37.49

9.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.86 MYR 48.45

$22.64 MYR 92.5

-47.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.69 MYR 150

$37.27 MYR 152

-1.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 MYR 23.71

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-20.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.80 MYR 11.44

$4.88 MYR 19.94

-42.62%

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

$235 MYR 961

$208 MYR 850

13.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-22.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 226

$48.20 MYR 197

15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 MYR 118

$34.63 MYR 141

-16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 MYR 254

$54.0 MYR 221

15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.2 MYR 213

$49.14 MYR 201

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,575

$460 MYR 1,880

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,084

$340 MYR 1,389

-21.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 MYR 2,580

$826 MYR 3,375

-23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,899

$538 MYR 2,196

-13.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,134 MYR 8,714

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-31.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 MYR 4,781

$204 MYR 834

473.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,310 MYR 5,350

$1,764 MYR 7,203

-25.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.49

-7.35%

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

Last update for Kedah: July 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Kedah and $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 35% 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: $21.00 in Kedah vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $236 per month, with Petaling Jaya 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

Kedah vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Petaling Jaya differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $912 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $386 in Kedah versus $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Kedah versus $208 in Petaling Jaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Petaling Jaya pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kedah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.