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 $981 per month in Kulim vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Kulim vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Kulim vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kulim costs about 8% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 27% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 MYR 10.30

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-30.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MYR 97.2

$18.88 MYR 76.6

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.51

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-18.55%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.16

$2.71 MYR 10.99

-16.61%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.99

$0.68 MYR 2.74

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$3.51 MYR 14.24

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 MYR 21.35

$4.96 MYR 20.10

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$0.95 MYR 3.85

18.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-17.82%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.49

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.18 MYR 89.9

$10.81 MYR 43.82

105.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 20.16

$3.56 MYR 14.45

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.21

$7.94 MYR 32.21

34.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.58

$2.76 MYR 11.18

39.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-1.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.85

$2.47 MYR 10.04

38.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$1.21 MYR 4.89

111.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.15 MYR 4.65

53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-23.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.33

$0.94 MYR 3.83

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.83

$4.13 MYR 16.74

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 MYR 71.5

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 17.03

$2.74 MYR 11.09

53.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 MYR 21.82

$3.77 MYR 15.30

42.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-30.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.71

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$0.99 MYR 4.00

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.16

$0.32 MYR 1.32

221.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.78

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.47 MYR 1.90

6.38%

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

$44.1K MYR 178.9K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

40.97%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

12.17%

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

$73.0 MYR 296

$40.93 MYR 166

78.30%

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

$9.90 MYR 40.15

$8.87 MYR 35.97

11.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.12 MYR 114

$23.16 MYR 93.9

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 149

$36.87 MYR 149

-0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 MYR 23.17

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-20.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.75

$5.01 MYR 20.30

11.98%

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

$117 MYR 476

$209 MYR 849

-43.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-46.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 MYR 453

$48.47 MYR 197

130.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$33.99 MYR 138

-18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 300

$53.9 MYR 219

37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 320

$48.57 MYR 197

62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,555

$471 MYR 1,911

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,078

$347 MYR 1,407

-23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,585

$817 MYR 3,311

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,923

$543 MYR 2,200

-12.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,197 MYR 8,911

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-30.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 MYR 3,943

$210 MYR 851

363.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 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: $308 vs $236 – 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 8% 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 $1,471 per month in Kulim and $1,364 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 $909, than in Kulim at $981. 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 $909 versus $981 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.