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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $994 per month in Kulim vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,512 per month in Kulim vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Kulim vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kulim costs about 9% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 26% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 MYR 10.07

$3.44 MYR 13.59

-25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.76 MYR 93.8

$18.50 MYR 73.1

28.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.72 MYR 14.69

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-19.31%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MYR 9.15

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-16.55%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.82

$0.67 MYR 2.65

5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 16.96

$3.57 MYR 14.08

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 MYR 21.17

$5.17 MYR 20.44

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.27

$0.97 MYR 3.82

11.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.71

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-18.99%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.33

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.00 MYR 86.9

$10.69 MYR 42.24

105.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.80

$3.56 MYR 14.04

33.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.22

$8.22 MYR 32.46

30.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 MYR 15.29

$2.69 MYR 10.61

43.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.05

$2.48 MYR 9.81

33.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.29

$1.27 MYR 5.00

104.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.70

$1.19 MYR 4.69

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.24

$0.90 MYR 3.54

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.02

$4.29 MYR 16.95

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.2

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$2.77 MYR 10.94

55.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 MYR 22.30

$3.92 MYR 15.50

44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-29.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 45.82

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$0.98 MYR 3.88

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.35 MYR 1.38

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 16.72

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-53.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-8.00%

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

$44.4K MYR 175.5K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

39.61%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.1K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

11.04%

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

$75.8 MYR 300

$40.25 MYR 159

88.40%

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

$9.90 MYR 39.11

$9.09 MYR 35.92

8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.80 MYR 114

$22.94 MYR 90.6

25.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 MYR 146

$37.39 MYR 148

-1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 22.62

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 MYR 22.13

$4.99 MYR 19.72

12.22%

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

$116 MYR 460

$214 MYR 846

-45.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,314 MYR 17.0K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-46.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 427

$48.73 MYR 192

121.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.71 MYR 109

$33.82 MYR 134

-18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 294

$55.0 MYR 217

35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MYR 313

$49.39 MYR 195

60.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,543

$471 MYR 1,860

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,052

$347 MYR 1,371

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,528

$820 MYR 3,240

-21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,884

$555 MYR 2,190

-14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,943 MYR 7,676

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-41.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 MYR 3,939

$211 MYR 833

372.88%

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 Kulim: April 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Kulim 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 $24.00 in Kulim versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $239 – making Petaling Jaya 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

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

Kulim costs about 9% more than Petaling Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,491 per month in Kulim 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Kulim, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kulim and $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Kulim at $994. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kulim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $910 versus $994 in Kulim. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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