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 $975 per month in Kulim vs $1,032 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Kulim vs $1,497 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,830 per month in Kulim vs $1,963 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kulim is about 6% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 29% lower, Petaling Jaya 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 MYR 14.32

$3.74 MYR 15.11

-5.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.55 MYR 62.8

$24.73 MYR 99.9

-37.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.58

$5.04 MYR 20.35

-3.77%

Cappuccino

$2.65 MYR 10.72

$3.05 MYR 12.31

-13.11%

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

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.86 MYR 3.49

10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.42 MYR 1.69

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 MYR 9.81

$3.31 MYR 13.36

-26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.43

$5.83 MYR 23.55

-26.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 MYR 9.49

$1.86 MYR 7.53

26.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.36

$1.03 MYR 4.18

29.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.08

$1.45 MYR 5.87

20.69%

Eggs

$2.60 MYR 10.49

$1.78 MYR 7.20

46.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 MYR 61.8

$9.70 MYR 39.17

57.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.70

$3.31 MYR 13.37

47.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.56

$9.41 MYR 38.03

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.74

$2.69 MYR 10.89

-10.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.08

$1.93 MYR 7.78

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 MYR 9.44

$2.77 MYR 11.20

-15.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$1.84 MYR 7.43

-31.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.79

$2.09 MYR 8.44

-55.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.38

$1.98 MYR 8.00

-57.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.13

$1.43 MYR 5.79

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.59

$0.56 MYR 2.25

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MYR 18.60

$4.56 MYR 18.40

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.87 MYR 88.4

$20.09 MYR 81.2

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.76

$2.83 MYR 11.41

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.65

$4.22 MYR 17.06

-13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 3.04

$1.20 MYR 4.85

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.76 MYR 55.6

$12.42 MYR 50.2

10.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.84

$1.20 MYR 4.83

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.38 MYR 1.54

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MYR 27.28

$9.47 MYR 38.27

-28.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 MYR 3.04

$0.79 MYR 3.18

-5.06%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

$41.3K MYR 166.9K

1.47%

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

$28.0K MYR 113.1K

$33.4K MYR 134.8K

-16.09%

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

$51.2 MYR 207

$39.91 MYR 161

28.29%

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

$8.12 MYR 32.80

$8.11 MYR 32.76

0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 126

$27.20 MYR 110

14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 MYR 144

$47.88 MYR 193

-25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.63

$3.15 MYR 12.75

109.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MYR 19.21

$4.84 MYR 19.57

-1.65%

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

$175 MYR 708

$280 MYR 1,132

-37.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,017 MYR 20.3K

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

-53.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 MYR 223

$52.0 MYR 210

6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.49 MYR 143

$29.85 MYR 121

18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 MYR 295

$76.4 MYR 309

-4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 288

$84.6 MYR 342

-15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,519

$498 MYR 2,012

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MYR 1,280

$397 MYR 1,604

-20.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 MYR 2,828

$805 MYR 3,251

-13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 MYR 1,957

$569 MYR 2,299

-14.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 MYR 7,866

$3,177 MYR 12.8K

-38.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,026 MYR 4,145

$213 MYR 861

381.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 MYR 7,056

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.51

-1.77%

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

Last update for Kulim: August 16, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $376 in Kulim versus $498 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 $16.00 in Kulim versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Kulim vs $247 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Kulim, 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 $1,463 per month in Kulim and $1,548 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Petaling Jaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Kulim and $25.00 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 Kulim, where all-in costs run around $975, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,032. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $975 versus $1,032 in Petaling Jaya. 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 Kulim. 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.