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: $944 in Kedah versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Kedah versus $1,491 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Kedah versus $1,946 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 9% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 31% lower, Petaling Jaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.38

$3.60 MYR 14.75

-2.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 MYR 50.6

$24.59 MYR 101

-49.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MYR 20.58

$4.95 MYR 20.26

1.62%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MYR 10.91

$2.98 MYR 12.21

-10.74%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$0.92 MYR 3.77

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.87

$3.26 MYR 13.33

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$5.89 MYR 24.09

-27.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 MYR 9.95

$1.87 MYR 7.65

29.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.57

$1.05 MYR 4.29

29.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.20

$1.51 MYR 6.17

16.56%

Eggs

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$1.78 MYR 7.27

47.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 MYR 64.0

$9.85 MYR 40.31

58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 MYR 20.07

$3.36 MYR 13.76

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.14

$9.56 MYR 39.13

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.46 MYR 14.17

-31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-24.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MYR 9.32

$2.68 MYR 10.95

-14.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-31.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$2.08 MYR 8.50

-56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$1.99 MYR 8.14

-60.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.17

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-48.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.66

$0.53 MYR 2.17

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MYR 19.08

$4.46 MYR 18.25

4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 MYR 87.0

$19.38 MYR 79.3

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$2.63 MYR 10.77

-5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.85

$4.52 MYR 18.49

-19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-41.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 48.18

$12.42 MYR 50.8

-5.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.36 MYR 1.47

38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 MYR 27.19

$9.15 MYR 37.46

-27.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.45

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-24.05%

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

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

0.53%

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

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

-11.37%

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

$50.7 MYR 207

$49.66 MYR 203

1.99%

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

$7.98 MYR 32.64

$8.04 MYR 32.92

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 MYR 132

$27.49 MYR 113

16.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 MYR 163

$51.9 MYR 212

-23.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.67

$3.06 MYR 12.53

88.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.69

$4.79 MYR 19.60

0.42%

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

$171 MYR 698

$282 MYR 1,155

-39.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

-52.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MYR 223

$50.9 MYR 208

7.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.20 MYR 144

$30.19 MYR 124

16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 MYR 296

$78.9 MYR 323

-8.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 MYR 284

$84.4 MYR 345

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,701

$481 MYR 1,969

-13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MYR 1,311

$401 MYR 1,640

-20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MYR 2,837

$861 MYR 3,523

-19.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 MYR 1,847

$566 MYR 2,315

-20.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,745 MYR 7,141

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

-45.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 MYR 4,117

$975 MYR 3,990

3.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 MYR 5,440

$1,709 MYR 6,996

-22.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.51

-1.77%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Kedah and $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 29% 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: $12.00 in Kedah vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $249, with Petaling Jaya cheaper for home cooking.

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 10% in total monthly costs ($944 vs $1,036 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% 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: $416 in Kedah versus $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $171 in Kedah versus $282 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 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $944 in Kedah versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 10% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.