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 $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $680 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,040 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,401 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 35% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Alor Setar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$2.39 MYR 9.76

50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$11.99 MYR 49.05

58.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.00 MYR 16.37

15.50%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$1.62 MYR 6.62

72.22%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.55 MYR 2.26

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.29 MYR 1.19

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$3.58 MYR 14.63

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$2.32 MYR 9.47

120.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.61 MYR 6.57

14.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.87 MYR 3.57

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.17 MYR 4.77

46.15%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$1.47 MYR 6.00

47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$12.08 MYR 49.43

-11.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$3.02 MYR 12.37

15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$8.46 MYR 34.59

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$2.78 MYR 11.37

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.04 MYR 4.25

68.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$1.39 MYR 5.67

81.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$2.08 MYR 8.49

-41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$0.89 MYR 3.62

32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$0.54 MYR 2.19

157.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$0.69 MYR 2.84

27.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.48 MYR 1.98

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$2.77 MYR 11.34

53.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$18.93 MYR 77.4

4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$1.19 MYR 4.88

126.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$2.09 MYR 8.54

88.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.74 MYR 3.03

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.93 MYR 48.79

-2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.69 MYR 2.82

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$7.00 MYR 28.63

33.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.47 MYR 1.92

-2.13%

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$34.0K MYR 139.1K

-5.77%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$28.0K MYR 114.3K

-0.85%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$39.42 MYR 161

2.33%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$7.26 MYR 29.69

24.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$26.83 MYR 110

-15.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$36.19 MYR 148

2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$9.65 MYR 39.49

-23.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$2.91 MYR 11.90

65.29%

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

$210 MYR 857

$82.5 MYR 338

153.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$5,299 MYR 21.7K

51.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$47.53 MYR 194

5.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$29.19 MYR 119

16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$62.1 MYR 254

-11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$53.6 MYR 219

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$298 MYR 1,219

53.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$174 MYR 713

97.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$454 MYR 1,857

80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$342 MYR 1,400

57.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,225 MYR 9,100

43.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,040 MYR 4,253

-79.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$1,620 MYR 6,625

5.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $298 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 6% 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: $236 vs $208 – 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 35% 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 $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,020 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 $210 per month in Petaling Jaya and $82.5 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 $920 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 $920 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.