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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $898 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $898 in Astana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,333 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,407 in Astana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,769 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,916 in Astana, rent included.

Petaling Jaya and Astana have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 MYR 13.65

$8.23 ₸3,868

-58.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 MYR 75.4

$29.11 ₸13.7K

-34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.09

$5.95 ₸2,797

-23.03%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.12

$2.15 ₸1,009

31.16%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.63

$0.94 ₸442

-28.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.54 ₸252

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.61

$1.19 ₸559

189.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 MYR 20.59

$2.92 ₸1,371

78.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$0.93 ₸439

101.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.47 ₸221

117.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.06

$1.40 ₸660

27.86%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.93

$1.71 ₸804

32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 MYR 41.33

$9.33 ₸4,386

12.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$4.74 ₸2,229

-28.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.47

$7.10 ₸3,339

15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.40

$1.32 ₸622

99.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.65

$1.83 ₸862

-8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 9.75

$1.98 ₸930

24.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.95 ₸919

-36.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$0.59 ₸276

93.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$0.37 ₸176

262.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.76

$1.03 ₸483

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.45

$0.75 ₸351

-17.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.20

$1.81 ₸850

140.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.85 MYR 78.4

$8.47 ₸3,980

134.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.64

$0.99 ₸467

171.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 MYR 15.52

$1.65 ₸774

138.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.98

$0.21 ₸98.3

257.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 45.86

$14.43 ₸6,785

-19.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.71 ₸804

-42.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.68 ₸318

-51.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 MYR 37.35

$4.39 ₸2,064

115.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.51 ₸238

-7.84%

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

$31.1K MYR 122.7K

$20.5K ₸9.6M

51.40%

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

$28.0K MYR 110.5K

$25.4K ₸11.9M

10.35%

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

$40.62 MYR 160

$54.5 ₸25.6K

-25.45%

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

$9.08 MYR 35.87

$8.14 ₸3,826

11.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 MYR 91.4

$13.70 ₸6,442

68.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.14 MYR 147

$50.0 ₸23.5K

-25.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.19 MYR 28.39

$11.30 ₸5,312

-36.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 19.47

$5.20 ₸2,446

-5.19%

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

$211 MYR 833

$235 ₸110.3K

-10.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,152 MYR 32.2K

$4,809 ₸2.3M

69.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 MYR 196

$56.2 ₸26.4K

-11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 MYR 138

$34.80 ₸16.4K

0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 MYR 216

$87.4 ₸41.1K

-37.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.12 MYR 194

$87.9 ₸41.3K

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 MYR 1,798

$481 ₸225.9K

-5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$324 ₸152.2K

7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 MYR 3,271

$851 ₸399.9K

-2.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,118

$605 ₸284.6K

-11.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,238 MYR 12.8K

$1,292 ₸607.1K

150.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$217 MYR 856

$943 ₸443.5K

-77.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,792 MYR 7,079

$723 ₸339.8K

147.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

16.12

-72.15%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 13, 2026

Last update for Astana: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Petaling Jaya versus $481 in Astana. 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 148% higher in Petaling Jaya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Petaling Jaya versus $29 in Astana. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $176 in Astana – so Astana 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 Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,346 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,346 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, 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 Petaling Jaya and $29.00 in Astana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Astana at $898. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Astana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $898 in Petaling Jaya to $898 in Astana. 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Astana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.