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 $944 per month in Kulim vs $1,062 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Kulim vs $1,529 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Kulim vs $1,997 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kulim is about 11% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 30% lower, Petaling Jaya 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$3.71 MYR 15.16

-8.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.93 MYR 61.0

$24.45 MYR 99.9

-38.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$4.87 MYR 19.89

-2.05%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.99 MYR 12.22

-12.37%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.95

$0.88 MYR 3.59

10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.45

$0.44 MYR 1.80

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 MYR 10.15

$3.33 MYR 13.61

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.59

$5.69 MYR 23.22

-24.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 MYR 10.08

$1.93 MYR 7.90

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$1.03 MYR 4.20

28.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$1.44 MYR 5.89

22.22%

Eggs

$2.47 MYR 10.09

$1.76 MYR 7.18

40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.68 MYR 64.1

$9.66 MYR 39.46

62.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 MYR 19.91

$3.32 MYR 13.55

46.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MYR 39.58

$9.54 MYR 38.96

1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$3.44 MYR 14.06

-29.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.06

$1.93 MYR 7.90

-23.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.20

$2.77 MYR 11.32

-18.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$1.83 MYR 7.47

-31.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$2.15 MYR 8.80

-56.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$2.01 MYR 8.23

-57.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.43 MYR 5.86

-49.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.55 MYR 2.25

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$4.57 MYR 18.67

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.34 MYR 87.2

$19.30 MYR 78.8

10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.22

$2.71 MYR 11.08

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 MYR 15.31

$4.46 MYR 18.21

-15.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.41 MYR 50.7

$12.40 MYR 50.7

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.25 MYR 5.09

1.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.35 MYR 1.44

34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 MYR 27.68

$8.73 MYR 35.66

-22.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.30

$0.88 MYR 3.59

-7.95%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$41.1K MYR 167.9K

1.14%

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

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

$32.6K MYR 133.2K

-12.47%

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

$49.63 MYR 203

$48.53 MYR 198

2.27%

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

$8.34 MYR 34.06

$8.08 MYR 33.01

3.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.95 MYR 126

$26.83 MYR 110

15.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 MYR 167

$51.8 MYR 211

-21.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.97

$3.16 MYR 12.90

124.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MYR 19.20

$4.92 MYR 20.10

-4.47%

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

$169 MYR 689

$279 MYR 1,138

-39.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,851 MYR 19.8K

$10.4K MYR 42.5K

-53.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 MYR 218

$52.4 MYR 214

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 MYR 144

$29.65 MYR 121

19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MYR 302

$76.3 MYR 312

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MYR 468

$84.9 MYR 347

34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MYR 1,653

$482 MYR 1,971

-16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MYR 1,249

$404 MYR 1,651

-24.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 MYR 2,723

$831 MYR 3,393

-19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,961

$554 MYR 2,261

-13.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,008 MYR 8,201

$3,121 MYR 12.7K

-35.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,071 MYR 4,375

$952 MYR 3,890

12.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 MYR 7,123

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Kulim versus $482 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 Kulim versus $24.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $270 in Kulim vs $250 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 13% 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 $1,415 per month in Kulim and $1,593 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 8% 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 $15.00 in Kulim and $24.00 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 $944, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,062. 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 $944 versus $1,062 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.