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: $935 in Lumut, Perak versus $910 in Petaling Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,354 in Petaling Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,798 in Petaling Jaya.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 3% more expensive than 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

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$3.44 MYR 13.59

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 MYR 47.02

$18.50 MYR 73.1

-35.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.91

$4.61 MYR 18.21

3.90%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-0.36%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.34

$0.67 MYR 2.65

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 MYR 14.49

$3.57 MYR 14.08

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 22.88

$5.17 MYR 20.44

11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 7.81

$1.91 MYR 7.56

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.13

$0.97 MYR 3.82

8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.59

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-6.70%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.54

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 MYR 56.7

$10.69 MYR 42.24

34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 17.99

$3.56 MYR 14.04

28.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 MYR 38.44

$8.22 MYR 32.46

18.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$2.69 MYR 10.61

7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$2.48 MYR 9.81

9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$1.27 MYR 5.00

18.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.19 MYR 4.69

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.34 MYR 5.29

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$0.90 MYR 3.54

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$0.63 MYR 2.48

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.52

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 MYR 73.9

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.71

$2.77 MYR 10.94

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 MYR 17.45

$3.92 MYR 15.50

12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-1.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$11.70 MYR 46.22

2.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$0.98 MYR 3.88

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$0.35 MYR 1.38

225.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 18.86

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-47.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.50 MYR 1.98

2.00%

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

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

24.22%

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

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

14.30%

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

$63.3 MYR 250

$40.25 MYR 159

57.14%

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

$11.35 MYR 44.82

$9.09 MYR 35.92

24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.66 MYR 101

$22.94 MYR 90.6

11.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 MYR 144

$37.39 MYR 148

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 23.57

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-20.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MYR 20.71

$4.99 MYR 19.72

5.01%

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

$269 MYR 1,061

$214 MYR 846

25.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 243

$48.73 MYR 192

26.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 MYR 147

$33.82 MYR 134

10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MYR 340

$55.0 MYR 217

56.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 321

$49.39 MYR 195

64.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,556

$471 MYR 1,860

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,060

$347 MYR 1,371

-22.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,510

$820 MYR 3,240

-22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,827

$555 MYR 2,190

-16.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,902 MYR 7,515

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-42.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 MYR 3,679

$211 MYR 833

341.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$394 MYR 1,556

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-77.57%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Lumut, Perak and $471 in Petaling Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 346% 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 $265 vs $239, 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 3% 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 346% 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: $394 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 $935 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $910 in Petaling Jaya – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $935 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 $910 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 3% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.