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 $909 per month in Kemaman vs $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,334 per month in Kemaman vs $1,491 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,760 per month in Kemaman vs $1,946 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kemaman is about 12% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kemaman and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 34% lower, Petaling Jaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$3.60 MYR 14.75

-24.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.83 MYR 60.7

$24.59 MYR 101

-39.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.73

$4.95 MYR 20.26

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.82

$2.98 MYR 12.21

5.03%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.92 MYR 3.77

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 MYR 13.98

$3.26 MYR 13.33

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 23.71

$5.89 MYR 24.09

-1.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.87 MYR 7.65

1.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.05 MYR 4.29

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$1.51 MYR 6.17

-33.77%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.78 MYR 7.27

-35.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 MYR 41.39

$9.85 MYR 40.31

2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$3.36 MYR 13.76

-3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 MYR 38.61

$9.56 MYR 39.13

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$3.46 MYR 14.17

3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$2.68 MYR 10.95

4.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-2.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.82

$2.08 MYR 8.50

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.28

$1.99 MYR 8.14

1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.15

$4.46 MYR 18.25

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 77.6

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.99

$2.63 MYR 10.77

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MYR 18.86

$4.52 MYR 18.49

1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-43.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.71 MYR 47.94

$12.42 MYR 50.8

-5.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.36 MYR 1.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.25 MYR 37.85

$9.15 MYR 37.46

1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-37.97%

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

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

1.36%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

1.56%

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

$49.20 MYR 201

$49.66 MYR 203

-0.93%

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

$8.44 MYR 34.55

$8.04 MYR 32.92

4.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 MYR 110

$27.49 MYR 113

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 MYR 144

$51.9 MYR 212

-32.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 MYR 29.00

$3.06 MYR 12.53

131.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.82

$4.79 MYR 19.60

1.04%

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

$123 MYR 503

$282 MYR 1,155

-56.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 MYR 209

$50.9 MYR 208

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 MYR 124

$30.19 MYR 124

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 MYR 324

$78.9 MYR 323

0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MYR 354

$84.4 MYR 345

2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,645

$481 MYR 1,969

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,372

$401 MYR 1,640

-16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 MYR 2,746

$861 MYR 3,523

-22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MYR 2,189

$566 MYR 2,315

-5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 MYR 8,461

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

-35.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MYR 4,194

$975 MYR 3,990

5.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Kemaman versus $481 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 $15.00 in Kemaman versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $249 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Petaling Jaya is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,363 per month in Kemaman and $1,553 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, 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 $15.00 in Kemaman and $25.00 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 $909 in Kemaman and $1,036 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – 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 Kemaman. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.