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: $931 in Lumut, Perak versus $892 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,329 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,767 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 4% more expensive than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.71

$3.57 MYR 14.50

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.98 MYR 48.70

$19.09 MYR 77.6

-37.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.58

$4.62 MYR 18.78

4.33%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.29

$2.68 MYR 10.90

3.73%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$0.73 MYR 2.98

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.02

$3.60 MYR 14.64

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 MYR 24.34

$4.93 MYR 20.03

21.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 MYR 8.20

$1.87 MYR 7.60

8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.01 MYR 4.12

4.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.79 MYR 7.27

-6.70%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.14

$2.21 MYR 8.97

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 59.6

$10.77 MYR 43.79

36.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$3.38 MYR 13.75

39.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 MYR 39.68

$8.24 MYR 33.50

18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.11

$2.76 MYR 11.21

7.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.33

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.58

$2.47 MYR 10.03

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.22 MYR 4.94

24.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.02

$1.14 MYR 4.61

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.48

$1.33 MYR 5.40

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.90 MYR 3.65

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$0.58 MYR 2.37

15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 17.14

$4.17 MYR 16.94

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.4

$19.95 MYR 81.1

-5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.63

$2.69 MYR 10.93

24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$3.81 MYR 15.50

10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.76 MYR 3.10

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 48.79

$11.86 MYR 48.20

1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.02 MYR 4.16

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.36 MYR 1.44

219.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.64

$9.21 MYR 37.42

-47.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.49 MYR 2.00

2.04%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.7K

$31.0K MYR 126.0K

31.53%

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

$32.0K MYR 129.9K

$27.5K MYR 111.7K

16.24%

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

$65.6 MYR 267

$40.35 MYR 164

62.48%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.73

$9.18 MYR 37.30

25.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 MYR 105

$23.28 MYR 94.6

11.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 MYR 148

$36.31 MYR 148

0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.12

$7.21 MYR 29.31

-17.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.48

$4.88 MYR 19.82

3.28%

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

$267 MYR 1,087

$215 MYR 874

24.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,247 MYR 37.6K

$8,089 MYR 32.9K

14.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 252

$49.37 MYR 201

25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 MYR 153

$34.48 MYR 140

9.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 347

$53.7 MYR 218

59.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 MYR 329

$48.61 MYR 198

66.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,546

$471 MYR 1,914

-19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,092

$347 MYR 1,409

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,572

$818 MYR 3,323

-22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,921

$551 MYR 2,238

-14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,797 MYR 7,304

$3,192 MYR 13.0K

-43.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 MYR 3,706

$209 MYR 848

336.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,555

$1,770 MYR 7,197

-78.40%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Lumut, Perak and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 363% 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 $268 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 4% 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, Petaling Jaya earns 363% 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: $380 in Lumut, Perak versus $471 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 $931 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $892 in Petaling Jaya – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Petaling Jaya versus $931 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Petaling Jaya but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. The gap between the two cities makes Petaling Jaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Petaling Jaya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $892 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 4% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.