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: $932 in Lumut, Perak versus $912 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,335 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,864 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,758 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 2% more expensive than in Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.79

$3.50 MYR 14.28

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.83 MYR 48.30

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 MYR 19.03

$4.78 MYR 19.52

-2.51%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.63

$2.78 MYR 11.34

2.52%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.72 MYR 2.96

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$3.61 MYR 14.75

3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 MYR 23.47

$4.93 MYR 20.13

16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 MYR 8.53

$1.92 MYR 7.82

8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$0.93 MYR 3.81

11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.80

$1.79 MYR 7.31

-6.70%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.26

$2.20 MYR 8.97

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.55 MYR 59.4

$10.52 MYR 42.97

38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MYR 19.35

$3.41 MYR 13.91

39.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.61

$8.28 MYR 33.81

20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$2.65 MYR 10.83

10.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MYR 6.46

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.16

$2.53 MYR 10.32

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.20 MYR 4.90

23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.18 MYR 4.80

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$0.96 MYR 3.93

20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$0.59 MYR 2.42

6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.99

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 MYR 75.5

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$2.78 MYR 11.35

16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.48

$3.97 MYR 16.20

7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.44

$11.59 MYR 47.33

2.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.02 MYR 4.16

12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.33 MYR 1.34

230.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 MYR 19.48

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.46 MYR 1.87

10.87%

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

$40.4K MYR 165.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

30.34%

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

$32.3K MYR 131.9K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

14.35%

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

$63.5 MYR 259

$40.45 MYR 165

57.06%

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

$11.62 MYR 47.43

$9.18 MYR 37.49

26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 MYR 107

$22.64 MYR 92.4

15.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.53 MYR 153

$37.27 MYR 152

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 24.01

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 MYR 21.27

$4.88 MYR 19.94

6.76%

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

$270 MYR 1,103

$208 MYR 850

29.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,393 MYR 38.4K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

16.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 248

$48.20 MYR 197

26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 MYR 154

$34.63 MYR 141

9.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 354

$54.0 MYR 221

60.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$49.14 MYR 201

60.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,555

$460 MYR 1,880

-17.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,109

$340 MYR 1,389

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,584

$826 MYR 3,374

-23.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,947

$538 MYR 2,196

-11.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 MYR 8,439

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-33.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,245 MYR 5,083

$204 MYR 834

509.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 MYR 1,530

$1,764 MYR 7,202

-78.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.49

-0.45%

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

Last update for Lumut, Perak: July 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Lumut, Perak and $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 371% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $236, 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

Petaling Jaya wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Lumut, Perak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Petaling Jaya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 371% 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 Lumut, Perak versus $460 in Petaling Jaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Petaling Jaya – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $912 in Petaling Jaya – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Petaling Jaya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $912 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Petaling Jaya 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 Petaling Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.