Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Malacca vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,161 per month in Malacca vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Malacca vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Malacca is about 16% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Malacca and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 43% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$3.50 MYR 14.29

4.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$19.15 MYR 78.3

-2.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$4.78 MYR 19.54

-4.18%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$2.78 MYR 11.35

7.91%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.41

$0.72 MYR 2.96

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.39 MYR 1.60

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 MYR 8.56

$3.61 MYR 14.77

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 13.17

$4.93 MYR 20.15

-34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.92 MYR 7.83

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.89

$0.93 MYR 3.81

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.29

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-27.93%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$2.20 MYR 8.98

-16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 MYR 63.0

$10.52 MYR 43.01

46.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.24

$3.41 MYR 13.93

45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 MYR 47.18

$8.28 MYR 33.84

39.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 MYR 15.01

$2.65 MYR 10.84

38.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.68 MYR 6.88

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.44

$2.53 MYR 10.33

0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$1.20 MYR 4.91

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.27

$1.18 MYR 4.81

29.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.39 MYR 5.68

25.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MYR 5.20

$0.96 MYR 3.93

32.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.52

$4.20 MYR 17.18

2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.86 MYR 56.6

$19.92 MYR 81.4

-30.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MYR 8.23

$2.78 MYR 11.36

-27.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.86

$3.97 MYR 16.21

-26.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.86

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-40.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.47

$11.59 MYR 47.38

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.02 MYR 4.16

42.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.33 MYR 1.34

203.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 MYR 23.88

$9.42 MYR 38.49

-38.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

14.89%

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

$39.0K MYR 159.5K

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

38.17%

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

$46.10 MYR 188

$40.45 MYR 165

13.97%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.99

$9.18 MYR 37.52

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$22.64 MYR 92.5

35.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.75 MYR 68.5

$37.27 MYR 152

-55.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.61 MYR 47.44

$7.35 MYR 30.02

57.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.82

$4.88 MYR 19.96

-0.61%

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

$189 MYR 771

$208 MYR 851

-9.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,912 MYR 28.2K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 MYR 263

$48.20 MYR 197

33.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 MYR 77.5

$34.63 MYR 142

-45.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 MYR 304

$54.0 MYR 221

37.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.62 MYR 166

$49.14 MYR 201

-17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MYR 1,350

$460 MYR 1,882

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 773

$340 MYR 1,390

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 MYR 2,878

$826 MYR 3,378

-14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 MYR 1,144

$538 MYR 2,198

-47.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 MYR 8,376

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-34.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 MYR 4,704

$204 MYR 835

463.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$893 MYR 3,650

$1,764 MYR 7,210

-49.38%

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 Malacca: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Malacca versus $460 in Petaling Jaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 98% higher in Petaling Jaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Malacca vs $236 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Malacca vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $764 in Malacca, $912 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 19% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Malacca and $1,367 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca and $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Malacca and $912 in Petaling Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $764 in Malacca and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $764 in Malacca to $912 in Petaling Jaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.