Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Terengganu and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Terengganu and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,065 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,537 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,897 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,010 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Kuala Terengganu costs roughly 8% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Terengganu 29% lower, Petaling Jaya 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.50 MYR 10.12

$3.74 MYR 15.10

-33.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 MYR 94.4

$24.99 MYR 101

-6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.27

$5.09 MYR 20.59

-1.57%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.26

$3.11 MYR 12.56

-10.29%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-46.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$0.41 MYR 1.65

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.11

$3.32 MYR 13.43

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.08

$5.72 MYR 23.13

-26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.04

$1.98 MYR 7.99

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$1.09 MYR 4.41

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.26

$1.52 MYR 6.13

-14.47%

Eggs

$1.95 MYR 7.87

$1.79 MYR 7.24

8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 MYR 57.6

$9.89 MYR 39.97

44.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.52

$3.22 MYR 13.00

42.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 MYR 41.32

$9.50 MYR 38.40

7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.38

$3.55 MYR 14.37

-6.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$1.94 MYR 7.83

-13.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$2.67 MYR 10.80

4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.10

$1.75 MYR 7.09

0.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.80

$2.17 MYR 8.76

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$2.00 MYR 8.09

-45.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$1.52 MYR 6.15

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.56 MYR 2.28

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.61

$4.49 MYR 18.14

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.75 MYR 83.9

$19.08 MYR 77.1

8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MYR 10.18

$2.79 MYR 11.30

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.29

$4.50 MYR 18.21

-10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MYR 3.35

$1.20 MYR 4.86

-30.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.21 MYR 45.31

$12.44 MYR 50.3

-9.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.07

$1.26 MYR 5.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MYR 2.26

$0.39 MYR 1.57

43.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 MYR 28.55

$9.20 MYR 37.21

-23.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.66

$0.78 MYR 3.16

-15.38%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

$42.5K MYR 171.9K

-1.46%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.2K

$32.6K MYR 131.9K

9.30%

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

$50.6 MYR 205

$50.5 MYR 204

0.34%

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

$9.17 MYR 37.07

$8.47 MYR 34.25

8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.58 MYR 107

$27.19 MYR 110

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MYR 179

$53.0 MYR 214

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 MYR 26.43

$3.06 MYR 12.38

113.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.96

$4.85 MYR 19.61

1.86%

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

$202 MYR 815

$286 MYR 1,154

-29.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,936 MYR 20.0K

$10.5K MYR 42.3K

-52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 MYR 247

$52.3 MYR 211

17.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 MYR 157

$30.30 MYR 123

28.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 MYR 379

$77.3 MYR 312

21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 MYR 326

$85.7 MYR 347

-5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MYR 1,764

$485 MYR 1,960

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MYR 1,184

$411 MYR 1,662

-28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MYR 3,083

$840 MYR 3,397

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,906

$559 MYR 2,261

-15.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 MYR 9,182

$3,233 MYR 13.1K

-29.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 MYR 4,663

$975 MYR 3,941

18.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 MYR 2,028

$1,719 MYR 6,950

-70.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.51

-6.87%

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

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Kuala Terengganu and $485 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 243% 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: $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $251, 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

Kuala Terengganu vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuala Terengganu and Petaling Jaya differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,065 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 243% 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: $436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $485 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,065 in Petaling Jaya – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 11% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,065 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu 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, Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.