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 $954 per month in Kemaman vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kemaman vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Kemaman vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 5% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kemaman and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-23.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 MYR 56.5

$18.50 MYR 73.1

-22.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 MYR 15.14

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.12

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-16.91%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.67 MYR 2.65

-26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$3.57 MYR 14.08

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.01

$5.17 MYR 20.44

2.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.91 MYR 7.56

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$0.97 MYR 3.82

4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-45.25%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-50.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 MYR 56.9

$10.69 MYR 42.24

34.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 MYR 14.60

$3.56 MYR 14.04

3.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$8.22 MYR 32.46

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.23

$2.69 MYR 10.61

43.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.50

$2.48 MYR 9.81

37.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.09

$1.27 MYR 5.00

100.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.97

$1.19 MYR 4.69

47.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$0.90 MYR 3.54

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.29 MYR 16.95

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 MYR 80.2

$20.15 MYR 79.6

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.68

$2.77 MYR 10.94

52.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.29

$3.92 MYR 15.50

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.68

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-1.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$0.98 MYR 3.88

23.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$0.35 MYR 1.38

217.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MYR 16.76

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

37.47%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

12.89%

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

$73.1 MYR 289

$40.25 MYR 159

81.52%

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

$9.97 MYR 39.38

$9.09 MYR 35.92

9.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 112

$22.94 MYR 90.6

23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$37.39 MYR 148

-0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.83

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-19.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.16

$4.99 MYR 19.72

12.42%

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

$116 MYR 456

$214 MYR 846

-46.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-45.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 438

$48.73 MYR 192

127.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 108

$33.82 MYR 134

-19.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$55.0 MYR 217

34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 314

$49.39 MYR 195

61.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$471 MYR 1,860

-16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,073

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,583

$820 MYR 3,240

-20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,861

$555 MYR 2,190

-15.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 MYR 7,107

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-45.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 MYR 3,481

$211 MYR 833

317.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kemaman versus $471 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 – $273 in Kemaman vs $239 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 5%, 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 $1,431 per month in Kemaman and $1,365 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 $954 in Kemaman and $910 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Kemaman at $954. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.