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: $897 in Labuan versus $892 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Labuan versus $1,341 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Labuan versus $1,790 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Labuan is roughly 1% more expensive than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 33% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 MYR 20.43

$3.47 MYR 13.76

48.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 MYR 92.1

$18.73 MYR 74.3

24.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MYR 25.85

$4.74 MYR 18.79

37.55%

Cappuccino

$3.83 MYR 15.18

$2.69 MYR 10.65

42.38%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.22

$0.72 MYR 2.87

47.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.39 MYR 1.55

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.30

$3.44 MYR 13.63

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 19.77

$5.08 MYR 20.16

-1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.59

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$0.94 MYR 3.73

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.77 MYR 7.04

-29.38%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$2.20 MYR 8.74

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$10.55 MYR 41.83

39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$3.39 MYR 13.42

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 38.33

$8.06 MYR 31.96

19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.30

$2.74 MYR 10.87

4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$2.50 MYR 9.90

4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.45

$1.26 MYR 4.99

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.93

$1.13 MYR 4.48

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.25

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$0.95 MYR 3.77

8.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.63 MYR 2.50

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.22

$4.35 MYR 17.24

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$20.58 MYR 81.6

-8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.15

$2.75 MYR 10.91

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.57

$3.85 MYR 15.28

-24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.72 MYR 2.84

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.20

$11.92 MYR 47.24

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.02 MYR 4.02

12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.33 MYR 1.29

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.60

$9.38 MYR 37.19

-36.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.49 MYR 1.95

2.04%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

12.00%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

13.11%

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

$43.79 MYR 174

$41.04 MYR 163

6.70%

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

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$8.87 MYR 35.17

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.94 MYR 115

$22.69 MYR 90.0

27.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$37.62 MYR 149

-1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.99

$7.54 MYR 29.91

-23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.69

$4.85 MYR 19.21

2.47%

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

$190 MYR 753

$213 MYR 844

-10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

-15.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$48.18 MYR 191

28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 MYR 110

$34.97 MYR 139

-20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 290

$53.9 MYR 214

35.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 201

$48.40 MYR 192

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,529

$464 MYR 1,840

-16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,053

$343 MYR 1,358

-22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,600

$830 MYR 3,291

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,854

$538 MYR 2,135

-13.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 MYR 6,761

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

-46.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 MYR 3,532

$211 MYR 836

322.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,514

$1,782 MYR 7,066

-78.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Labuan and $464 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 367% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Labuan vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $237 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

Petaling Jaya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Petaling Jaya earns 367% less. 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: $386 in Labuan versus $464 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $190 in Labuan versus $213 in Petaling Jaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Labuan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Petaling Jaya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Petaling Jaya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Labuan, 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 Petaling Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.