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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $965 per month in Kemaman vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,413 per month in Kemaman vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,861 per month in Kemaman vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 6% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kemaman and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 27% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$3.50 MYR 14.28

-25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-26.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 MYR 15.00

$4.78 MYR 19.53

-23.22%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.51

$2.78 MYR 11.34

-16.19%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.39

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$3.61 MYR 14.75

19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.29

$4.93 MYR 20.13

10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.98

$0.93 MYR 3.81

4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-49.16%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-47.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 MYR 57.0

$10.52 MYR 42.97

32.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.33

$3.41 MYR 13.92

9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.53

$8.28 MYR 33.81

16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MYR 16.37

$2.65 MYR 10.83

51.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.68 MYR 6.87

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.67

$2.53 MYR 10.32

32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.66

$1.20 MYR 4.91

117.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.13

$1.18 MYR 4.80

48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-28.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$0.96 MYR 3.93

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.90

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 MYR 79.8

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$2.78 MYR 11.35

54.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 MYR 22.38

$3.97 MYR 16.20

38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.40

$11.59 MYR 47.34

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.02 MYR 4.16

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.33 MYR 1.34

230.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-53.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.46 MYR 1.87

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

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

38.34%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

11.77%

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

$73.8 MYR 301

$40.45 MYR 165

82.47%

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

$9.71 MYR 39.65

$9.18 MYR 37.49

5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.92 MYR 118

$22.64 MYR 92.5

27.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 MYR 151

$37.27 MYR 152

-1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.78

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 MYR 22.48

$4.88 MYR 19.94

12.91%

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

$120 MYR 490

$208 MYR 850

-42.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-46.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$48.20 MYR 197

123.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 MYR 114

$34.63 MYR 141

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 304

$54.0 MYR 221

37.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 322

$49.14 MYR 201

60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$460 MYR 1,880

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MYR 1,080

$340 MYR 1,389

-22.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,658

$826 MYR 3,375

-21.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,918

$538 MYR 2,196

-12.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 8,220

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-35.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 MYR 4,705

$204 MYR 834

463.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,203

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.49

-11.80%

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

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Kemaman versus $460 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Kemaman versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Kemaman vs $236 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

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

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,448 per month in Kemaman and $1,367 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 $14.00 in Kemaman 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 $965 in Kemaman and $912 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 $965 in Kemaman and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Petaling Jaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.