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 $753 per month in Malacca vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Malacca vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,562 per month in Malacca vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Malacca is about 17% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Malacca and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 44% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.57 MYR 75.3

$18.88 MYR 76.6

-1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.62

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-2.13%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.72

$2.71 MYR 10.99

6.64%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.68 MYR 2.74

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.37 MYR 1.49

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MYR 8.66

$3.51 MYR 14.24

-39.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.67

$4.96 MYR 20.10

-37.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 6.01

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$0.95 MYR 3.85

3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-29.31%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.35

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 MYR 62.3

$10.81 MYR 43.82

42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 MYR 20.23

$3.56 MYR 14.45

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 MYR 46.57

$7.94 MYR 32.21

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.16

$2.76 MYR 11.18

35.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.98

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.74

$2.47 MYR 10.04

7.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.21 MYR 4.89

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$1.15 MYR 4.65

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.38 MYR 5.58

25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MYR 5.17

$0.94 MYR 3.83

36.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.82

$4.13 MYR 16.74

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 MYR 57.2

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MYR 8.08

$2.74 MYR 11.09

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.85

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-40.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.02

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-1.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$0.99 MYR 4.00

40.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.01

$0.32 MYR 1.32

209.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 23.84

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-37.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

14.64%

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

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

35.58%

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

$44.85 MYR 182

$40.93 MYR 166

9.58%

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

$9.25 MYR 37.53

$8.87 MYR 35.97

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.20 MYR 122

$23.16 MYR 93.9

30.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.76 MYR 68.0

$36.87 MYR 149

-54.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 MYR 47.48

$7.22 MYR 29.28

62.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.86

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-2.20%

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

$188 MYR 762

$209 MYR 849

-10.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-15.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MYR 266

$48.47 MYR 197

35.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 MYR 77.6

$33.99 MYR 138

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 291

$53.9 MYR 219

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 MYR 163

$48.57 MYR 197

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,355

$471 MYR 1,911

-29.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 768

$347 MYR 1,407

-45.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MYR 2,862

$817 MYR 3,311

-13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MYR 1,139

$543 MYR 2,200

-48.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 MYR 7,932

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-38.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 4,017

$210 MYR 851

371.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 MYR 3,788

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-46.39%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Malacca versus $471 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 87% 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 – $254 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: $753 in Malacca, $909 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 21% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,129 per month in Malacca and $1,364 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 $753 in Malacca and $909 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 $753 in Malacca and $909 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 $753 in Malacca to $909 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.