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: $1,020 in Labuan versus $1,065 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,520 in Labuan versus $1,537 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Labuan versus $2,010 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 4% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 26% lower, Petaling Jaya 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 MYR 23.15

$3.74 MYR 15.10

53.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.06 MYR 101

$24.99 MYR 101

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 MYR 27.06

$5.09 MYR 20.59

31.43%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MYR 16.37

$3.11 MYR 12.56

30.23%

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

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$0.86 MYR 3.47

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.41 MYR 1.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.67

$3.32 MYR 13.43

24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MYR 19.28

$5.72 MYR 23.13

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.98 MYR 7.99

-7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.29

$1.09 MYR 4.41

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.52 MYR 6.13

-3.95%

Eggs

$1.94 MYR 7.84

$1.79 MYR 7.24

8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 MYR 70.7

$9.89 MYR 39.97

76.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.27

$3.22 MYR 13.00

40.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.06

$9.50 MYR 38.40

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MYR 13.52

$3.55 MYR 14.37

-5.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.43

$1.94 MYR 7.83

-18.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.19

$2.67 MYR 10.80

-5.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.96

$1.75 MYR 7.09

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.76

$2.17 MYR 8.76

-34.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.39

$2.00 MYR 8.09

-45.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.52 MYR 6.15

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.56 MYR 2.28

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 MYR 20.59

$4.49 MYR 18.14

13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 MYR 72.4

$19.08 MYR 77.1

-6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.86

$2.79 MYR 11.30

-3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MYR 16.79

$4.50 MYR 18.21

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$1.20 MYR 4.86

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 MYR 46.08

$12.44 MYR 50.3

-8.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.39 MYR 1.57

28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 MYR 31.27

$9.20 MYR 37.21

-15.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.78 MYR 3.16

1.28%

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

$43.3K MYR 175.1K

$42.5K MYR 171.9K

1.87%

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

$33.1K MYR 133.9K

$32.6K MYR 131.9K

1.50%

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

$49.44 MYR 200

$50.5 MYR 204

-2.02%

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

$10.25 MYR 41.43

$8.47 MYR 34.25

21.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 MYR 117

$27.19 MYR 110

6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 MYR 178

$53.0 MYR 214

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 23.27

$3.06 MYR 12.38

88.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MYR 18.50

$4.85 MYR 19.61

-5.57%

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

$165 MYR 665

$286 MYR 1,154

-42.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 MYR 19.8K

$10.5K MYR 42.3K

-53.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 223

$52.3 MYR 211

5.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 MYR 126

$30.30 MYR 123

2.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 MYR 298

$77.3 MYR 312

-4.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 MYR 270

$85.7 MYR 347

-22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,895

$485 MYR 1,960

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,329

$411 MYR 1,662

-20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,611

$840 MYR 3,397

-23.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,869

$559 MYR 2,261

-17.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,199 MYR 8,892

$3,233 MYR 13.1K

-31.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,681

$975 MYR 3,941

18.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$367 MYR 1,485

$1,719 MYR 6,950

-78.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.51

-6.87%

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

Last update for Labuan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Labuan and $485 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 368% 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: $25.00 in Labuan vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $251, with Petaling Jaya cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 368% 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: $469 in Labuan versus $485 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Labuan versus $286 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 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,020 in Labuan versus $1,065 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 4% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.