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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Labuan versus $920 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Labuan versus $1,341 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,893 in Labuan versus $1,762 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 1% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 32% lower, Petaling Jaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 MYR 22.13

$3.59 MYR 14.70

50.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.81 MYR 97.4

$18.95 MYR 77.5

25.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 MYR 26.77

$4.62 MYR 18.89

41.77%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MYR 15.21

$2.79 MYR 11.42

33.33%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.35

$0.69 MYR 2.81

53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.37 MYR 1.50

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.35

$3.63 MYR 14.84

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MYR 20.39

$5.11 MYR 20.88

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.85 MYR 7.58

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.24

$1.71 MYR 6.99

-25.15%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$2.17 MYR 8.87

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 MYR 61.0

$10.65 MYR 43.54

40.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.08

$3.50 MYR 14.31

26.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.51

$8.07 MYR 33.00

19.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.25

$2.69 MYR 11.02

11.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.25

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.61

$2.52 MYR 10.32

2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.22 MYR 4.99

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.18 MYR 4.83

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$0.88 MYR 3.61

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.11

$0.59 MYR 2.40

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$4.26 MYR 17.42

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 68.0

$19.75 MYR 80.8

-15.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.68

$2.70 MYR 11.03

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.28

$3.94 MYR 16.12

-23.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.72 MYR 2.93

-2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 48.10

$11.64 MYR 47.61

1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.02 MYR 4.16

12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$0.35 MYR 1.43

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MYR 24.76

$9.32 MYR 38.11

-35.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

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

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

8.77%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

15.16%

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

$44.09 MYR 180

$40.34 MYR 165

9.30%

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

$8.95 MYR 36.59

$9.05 MYR 37.03

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 119

$22.74 MYR 93.0

27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 MYR 150

$37.09 MYR 152

-1.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 23.70

$7.35 MYR 30.05

-21.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 20.09

$4.81 MYR 19.68

2.08%

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

$191 MYR 782

$210 MYR 857

-8.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

-15.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 245

$49.98 MYR 204

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.52 MYR 113

$33.86 MYR 139

-18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MYR 298

$55.2 MYR 226

32.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MYR 211

$48.48 MYR 198

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,558

$456 MYR 1,866

-16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,113

$344 MYR 1,405

-20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,622

$817 MYR 3,343

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,916

$537 MYR 2,198

-12.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 MYR 8,058

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

-38.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,287 MYR 5,265

$210 MYR 859

513.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 MYR 1,516

$1,713 MYR 7,008

-78.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Labuan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Labuan and $456 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 362% 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: $24.00 in Labuan vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $236 per month, with Petaling Jaya cheaper across the board.

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

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

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 362% 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: $381 in Labuan versus $456 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $191 in Labuan versus $210 in Petaling Jaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Petaling Jaya pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Labuan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Labuan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Petaling Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.