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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $666 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,180 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,693 in Banjul, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 60% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Banjul 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.10

$7.72 GMD 578

-51.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.99 MYR 101

$77.6 GMD 5,805

-67.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 MYR 20.59

$8.20 GMD 613

-37.93%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.56

$3.88 GMD 290

-19.85%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.47

$2.80 GMD 209

-69.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.65

$1.60 GMD 119

-74.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MYR 13.43

$5.83 GMD 436

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 MYR 23.13

$4.63 GMD 347

23.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 7.99

$1.32 GMD 98.7

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.41

$0.62 GMD 46.21

75.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.13

$1.30 GMD 97.5

16.92%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.24

$1.99 GMD 149

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 MYR 39.97

$6.06 GMD 453

63.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.00

$2.65 GMD 198

21.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 38.40

$5.44 GMD 407

74.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.37

$1.98 GMD 148

79.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.83

$1.27 GMD 94.8

52.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.80

$1.75 GMD 131

52.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.09

$1.33 GMD 99.6

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.76

$0.87 GMD 65.4

149.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.09

$1.00 GMD 75.1

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MYR 6.15

$0.23 GMD 17.19

560.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.61 GMD 45.86

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.14

$1.71 GMD 128

162.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.1

$6.27 GMD 469

204.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.30

$1.50 GMD 112

86.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.21

$1.75 GMD 131

157.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.22 GMD 16.12

445.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.3

$6.40 GMD 479

94.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.70 GMD 52.2

-44.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 MYR 37.21

$4.01 GMD 300

129.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.03 GMD 76.9

-24.27%

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

$42.5K MYR 171.9K

$2,677 GMD 200.2K

1488.08%

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

$32.6K MYR 131.9K

$3,223 GMD 241.1K

912.37%

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

$50.5 MYR 204

$30.50 GMD 2,281

65.44%

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

$8.47 MYR 34.25

$14.30 GMD 1,069

-40.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.19 MYR 110

$44.33 GMD 3,316

-38.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 MYR 214

$23.22 GMD 1,737

128.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.38

$13.70 GMD 1,025

-77.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.61

$3.47 GMD 260

39.77%

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

$286 MYR 1,154

$6.93 GMD 518

4019.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.3K

$137 GMD 10.2K

7544.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MYR 211

$56.2 GMD 4,201

-6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 MYR 123

$44.12 GMD 3,300

-31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 MYR 312

$99.1 GMD 7,412

-22.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 MYR 347

$88.5 GMD 6,622

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 MYR 1,960

$103 GMD 7,692

371.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 MYR 1,662

$82.5 GMD 6,173

397.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 MYR 3,397

$215 GMD 16.1K

290.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MYR 2,261

$137 GMD 10.3K

307.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,233 MYR 13.1K

$1,430 GMD 106.9K

126.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,941

$1,131 GMD 84.6K

-13.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,719 MYR 6,950

$61.5 GMD 4,602

2694.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

-69.93%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 29, 2026

Last update for Banjul: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Petaling Jaya versus $103 in Banjul. 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 2694% 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 $78.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Petaling Jaya vs $148 in Banjul – so Banjul 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 Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Petaling Jaya is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,597 per month in Petaling Jaya and $999 in Banjul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, 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 $1,065 in Petaling Jaya and $666 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,065. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banjul. 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.