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: $868 in Kedah versus $909 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kedah versus $1,337 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Kedah versus $1,765 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

$3.02 MYR 12.24

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-16.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 MYR 86.9

$18.88 MYR 76.6

13.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-8.74%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.95

$2.71 MYR 10.99

8.86%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.68 MYR 2.74

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.37 MYR 1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.83

$3.51 MYR 14.24

25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.18

$4.96 MYR 20.10

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 MYR 3.67

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-30.46%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.2

$10.81 MYR 43.82

41.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.26

$3.56 MYR 14.45

40.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.5

$7.94 MYR 32.21

84.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.69

$2.76 MYR 11.18

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$2.47 MYR 10.04

5.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.81

$1.21 MYR 4.89

79.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.15 MYR 4.65

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-15.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.92

$0.94 MYR 3.83

3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.75

$4.13 MYR 16.74

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 MYR 79.5

$19.45 MYR 78.9

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.69

$2.74 MYR 11.09

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.66

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.71

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-30.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.32 MYR 1.32

46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.32

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-25.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

7.00%

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

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

-2.85%

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

$38.49 MYR 156

$40.93 MYR 166

-5.96%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.49

$8.87 MYR 35.97

12.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.96 MYR 48.51

$23.16 MYR 93.9

-48.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MYR 148

$36.87 MYR 149

-1.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.74

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-18.98%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.40

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-43.91%

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

$238 MYR 963

$209 MYR 849

13.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-23.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$48.47 MYR 197

14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 MYR 115

$33.99 MYR 138

-16.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 251

$53.9 MYR 219

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$48.57 MYR 197

8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,540

$471 MYR 1,911

-19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,093

$347 MYR 1,407

-22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,620

$817 MYR 3,311

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,885

$543 MYR 2,200

-14.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,964 MYR 7,963

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-37.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MYR 3,880

$210 MYR 851

355.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 MYR 5,359

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-24.15%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Kedah and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 32% 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 $273 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 5% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $909 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 32% 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: $380 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 $209 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 16% 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.