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: $869 in Kedah versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Kedah versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Kedah versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 4% 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

$3.10 MYR 12.26

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-9.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.93 MYR 82.7

$18.50 MYR 73.1

13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.26

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-10.63%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.52

$2.78 MYR 10.97

5.04%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$0.67 MYR 2.65

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$3.57 MYR 14.08

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 17.91

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.16

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.65

$0.97 MYR 3.82

-5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-32.40%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.15

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.78 MYR 58.4

$10.69 MYR 42.24

38.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 19.67

$3.56 MYR 14.04

39.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 MYR 58.6

$8.22 MYR 32.46

80.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 10.99

$2.69 MYR 10.61

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-30.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.70

$2.48 MYR 9.81

9.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$1.27 MYR 5.00

69.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.74

$0.90 MYR 3.54

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.77

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$4.29 MYR 16.95

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 78.6

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 13.96

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 45.78

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.35 MYR 1.38

34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 MYR 27.49

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-22.92%

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)

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

6.00%

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

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

-3.04%

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

$37.91 MYR 150

$40.25 MYR 159

-5.81%

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

$10.09 MYR 39.84

$9.09 MYR 35.92

11.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 MYR 45.97

$22.94 MYR 90.6

-49.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$37.39 MYR 148

0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-20.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 MYR 10.95

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-44.49%

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

$238 MYR 942

$214 MYR 846

11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-22.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 MYR 216

$48.73 MYR 192

12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 MYR 116

$33.82 MYR 134

-13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$55.0 MYR 217

10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MYR 208

$49.39 MYR 195

6.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,558

$471 MYR 1,860

-16.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,046

$347 MYR 1,371

-23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,590

$820 MYR 3,240

-20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,858

$555 MYR 2,190

-15.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 MYR 7,692

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-41.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 MYR 3,142

$211 MYR 833

277.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,390 MYR 5,491

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-20.86%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Kedah and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 26% 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 $272 vs $239 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 5% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $910 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 26% 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: $394 in Kedah versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah versus $214 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 14% 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 5% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.