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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $844 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,265 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,686 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Ampang Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Ampang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Ampang Jaya 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$3.45 MYR 14.12

4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$18.78 MYR 76.8

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.82 MYR 19.72

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$2.96 MYR 12.09

-5.74%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.80 MYR 3.26

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.46 MYR 1.86

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$3.52 MYR 14.40

3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$5.78 MYR 23.63

-11.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.80 MYR 7.35

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.95 MYR 3.89

7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.25 MYR 5.12

36.80%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$2.18 MYR 8.94

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$10.77 MYR 44.07

-1.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$3.40 MYR 13.89

2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$6.29 MYR 25.72

28.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.50 MYR 6.13

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$1.80 MYR 7.34

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.20 MYR 4.90

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.13 MYR 4.62

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.39 MYR 5.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$0.90 MYR 3.68

-2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.56 MYR 2.30

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.11 MYR 16.81

3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$19.62 MYR 80.3

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.66 MYR 10.87

1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$3.87 MYR 15.82

1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.70 MYR 2.86

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.68 MYR 47.79

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.02 MYR 4.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.98 MYR 4.03

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$8.72 MYR 35.65

6.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.46 MYR 1.89

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$48.7K MYR 199.2K

-34.19%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$37.9K MYR 155.2K

-26.94%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$40.70 MYR 166

-0.88%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$9.16 MYR 37.47

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$23.11 MYR 94.5

-1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$34.99 MYR 143

6.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$5.82 MYR 23.80

26.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$4.97 MYR 20.32

-3.22%

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

$210 MYR 857

$209 MYR 853

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$6,853 MYR 28.0K

17.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$64.9 MYR 265

-22.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$29.87 MYR 122

13.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$72.1 MYR 295

-23.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$48.14 MYR 197

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$383 MYR 1,567

19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$283 MYR 1,157

21.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$1,012 MYR 4,138

-19.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$458 MYR 1,874

17.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,371 MYR 9,695

35.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,266 MYR 5,177

-83.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$866 MYR 3,542

97.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $383 in Ampang 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 Petaling Jaya versus $19.00 in Ampang Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $226 in Ampang Jaya – so Ampang 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 Ampang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $920 in Petaling Jaya, $844 in Ampang Jaya – roughly 9% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,266 in Ampang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $920 in Petaling Jaya and $844 in Ampang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Ampang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $920 in Petaling Jaya and $844 in Ampang 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 $844 in Ampang Jaya to $920 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 Ampang Jaya. 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.