Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Alor Setar Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Alor Setar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $680 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,049 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,417 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 31% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Alor Setar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$2.33 MYR 9.24

48.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$11.63 MYR 46.11

61.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$4.16 MYR 16.51

13.94%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$1.62 MYR 6.44

66.05%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.51 MYR 2.03

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.27 MYR 1.06

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$3.53 MYR 13.99

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$2.32 MYR 9.22

118.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.63 MYR 6.48

15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$0.89 MYR 3.52

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.20 MYR 4.77

47.50%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$1.50 MYR 5.96

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$11.76 MYR 46.62

-10.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$3.12 MYR 12.37

8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$8.27 MYR 32.79

-2.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.89 MYR 11.47

-5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.04 MYR 4.12

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$1.38 MYR 5.47

81.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$2.09 MYR 8.29

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$0.88 MYR 3.50

28.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$0.54 MYR 2.13

146.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$0.68 MYR 2.70

39.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.46 MYR 1.81

36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$2.81 MYR 11.13

54.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$19.36 MYR 76.8

6.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$1.16 MYR 4.61

137.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$2.10 MYR 8.32

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.69 MYR 2.75

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.76 MYR 46.63

1.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$0.74 MYR 2.94

37.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.55 MYR 2.16

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$7.23 MYR 28.68

29.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.46 MYR 1.84

6.52%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$33.8K MYR 134.0K

-8.00%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$27.9K MYR 110.8K

0.84%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$39.16 MYR 155

4.80%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$7.01 MYR 27.80

26.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$27.13 MYR 108

-16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$36.34 MYR 144

3.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$9.33 MYR 37.00

-19.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$2.76 MYR 10.95

75.72%

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

$213 MYR 844

$83.4 MYR 331

155.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

54.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$46.55 MYR 185

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$28.70 MYR 114

21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$62.1 MYR 246

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$52.5 MYR 208

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$299 MYR 1,185

55.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$170 MYR 675

101.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$442 MYR 1,752

87.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$335 MYR 1,328

60.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$1,912 MYR 7,582

67.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$900 MYR 3,569

-76.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$1,649 MYR 6,536

8.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.16

7.93%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $299 in Alor Setar. 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 8% 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 Petaling Jaya versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $209 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Petaling Jaya vs Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 31% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,021 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $83.4 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Petaling Jaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $892 in Petaling Jaya and $680 in Alor Setar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $892 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Alor Setar. 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.