Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,491 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,946 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 1% less than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 25% lower, Petaling Jaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.26

$3.60 MYR 14.75

3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.38 MYR 50.7

$24.59 MYR 101

-49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.64

$4.95 MYR 20.26

1.82%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.98 MYR 12.21

-1.01%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.53

$0.92 MYR 3.77

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 MYR 15.44

$3.26 MYR 13.33

15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 MYR 25.73

$5.89 MYR 24.09

6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 MYR 8.70

$1.87 MYR 7.65

13.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$1.05 MYR 4.29

0.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.32

$1.51 MYR 6.17

34.44%

Eggs

$2.46 MYR 10.09

$1.78 MYR 7.27

38.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.39 MYR 63.0

$9.85 MYR 40.31

56.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 MYR 20.09

$3.36 MYR 13.76

46.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 40.22

$9.56 MYR 39.13

2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.33

$3.46 MYR 14.17

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 MYR 9.69

$2.68 MYR 10.95

-11.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.51

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-12.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.42

$2.08 MYR 8.50

-36.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.83

$1.99 MYR 8.14

-28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.53 MYR 2.17

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.61

$4.46 MYR 18.25

-3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 MYR 77.5

$19.38 MYR 79.3

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.47

$2.63 MYR 10.77

34.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.16

$4.52 MYR 18.49

9.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.92

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-43.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.94 MYR 53.0

$12.42 MYR 50.8

4.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$1.26 MYR 5.17

-3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.36 MYR 1.47

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 MYR 20.41

$9.15 MYR 37.46

-45.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-5.06%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.4K

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

0.69%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

8.40%

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

$65.0 MYR 266

$49.66 MYR 203

30.95%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.02

$8.04 MYR 32.92

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.38 MYR 108

$27.49 MYR 113

-4.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MYR 155

$51.9 MYR 212

-26.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.22

$3.06 MYR 12.53

117.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 MYR 22.35

$4.79 MYR 19.60

13.99%

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

$298 MYR 1,221

$282 MYR 1,155

5.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,907 MYR 20.1K

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

-53.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 MYR 294

$50.9 MYR 208

41.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 MYR 175

$30.19 MYR 124

41.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 MYR 363

$78.9 MYR 323

12.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 MYR 406

$84.4 MYR 345

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,732

$481 MYR 1,969

-12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,289

$401 MYR 1,640

-21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 MYR 2,818

$861 MYR 3,523

-19.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$566 MYR 2,315

-12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 MYR 8,666

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

-34.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 MYR 3,922

$975 MYR 3,990

-1.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 MYR 1,554

$1,709 MYR 6,996

-77.79%

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 Lumut, Perak: September 13, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Lumut, Perak and $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 350% 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: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $249, 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

Lumut, Perak vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 350% 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: $423 in Lumut, Perak versus $481 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak 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.