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 $1,060 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $912 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,309 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,707 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 16% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Alor Setar 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.74

$2.09 MYR 8.51

73.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 MYR 101

$12.42 MYR 50.5

100.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$4.13 MYR 16.81

16.46%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$1.92 MYR 7.80

61.98%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.52

$0.53 MYR 2.17

62.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.31 MYR 1.28

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.20

$2.47 MYR 10.03

31.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 23.96

$4.39 MYR 17.84

34.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.61 MYR 6.56

16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.85 MYR 3.47

28.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-14.79%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.55 MYR 6.30

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.27

$15.86 MYR 64.5

-36.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.98 MYR 20.24

-35.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 MYR 38.75

$10.04 MYR 40.85

-5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.91

$2.45 MYR 9.96

39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.26 MYR 5.11

48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.80

$2.35 MYR 9.55

12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.27 MYR 5.16

39.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$0.87 MYR 3.55

148.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.30

$0.80 MYR 3.27

155.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$0.78 MYR 3.16

87.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.65 MYR 2.64

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.28

$4.65 MYR 18.91

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.9

$21.55 MYR 87.7

-12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.84

$2.42 MYR 9.85

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.88

$3.66 MYR 14.90

26.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$0.77 MYR 3.13

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.0

$12.49 MYR 50.8

-1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.21 MYR 4.91

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.51 MYR 2.09

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MYR 36.84

$6.70 MYR 27.25

35.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.50 MYR 2.02

48.00%

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

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

-2.94%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

16.01%

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

$49.97 MYR 203

$51.8 MYR 211

-3.53%

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

$8.26 MYR 33.61

$7.58 MYR 30.85

8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 MYR 109

$21.95 MYR 89.3

22.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 MYR 217

$40.67 MYR 165

30.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.87

$6.65 MYR 27.03

-52.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$4.67 MYR 18.99

4.28%

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

$281 MYR 1,144

$175 MYR 712

60.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

108.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$54.2 MYR 221

-4.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 MYR 122

$35.61 MYR 145

-15.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$74.1 MYR 301

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 MYR 347

$70.5 MYR 287

21.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,008

$427 MYR 1,735

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,680

$336 MYR 1,367

22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 MYR 3,447

$712 MYR 2,895

19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 MYR 2,245

$505 MYR 2,055

9.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

$2,038 MYR 8,289

58.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 MYR 3,868

$1,146 MYR 4,664

-17.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 MYR 7,157

$1,646 MYR 6,696

6.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.43

1.81%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Petaling Jaya versus $427 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 7% 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $253 in Alor Setar – 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 16% 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 $1,590 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,368 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 $281 per month in Petaling Jaya and $175 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Petaling Jaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $912 versus $1,060 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.