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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $598 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,089 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,580 in Banjul, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 49% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Banjul 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$5.29 GMD 391

-34.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$63.9 GMD 4,720

-70.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$6.83 GMD 505

-30.60%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.55 GMD 188

5.49%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$2.24 GMD 165

-67.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$1.31 GMD 97.1

-70.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$3.90 GMD 288

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$4.20 GMD 311

20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.44 GMD 106

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$0.53 GMD 39.20

77.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.36 GMD 101

30.15%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$1.98 GMD 146

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$6.49 GMD 480

62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$2.88 GMD 213

17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$5.88 GMD 434

37.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.10 GMD 156

30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.27 GMD 93.7

32.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$1.83 GMD 136

36.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.39 GMD 102

-9.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$0.98 GMD 72.5

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$0.99 GMD 73.2

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$0.26 GMD 19.37

265.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.43 GMD 31.79

46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$1.76 GMD 130

147.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$6.61 GMD 489

211.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$1.58 GMD 117

74.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$1.75 GMD 129

120.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.20 GMD 14.75

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$6.57 GMD 486

81.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$0.37 GMD 27.14

175.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.71 GMD 52.5

-53.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$4.14 GMD 306

126.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.13 GMD 83.3

-56.64%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$2,773 GMD 204.9K

1021.27%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$3,401 GMD 251.3K

728.38%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$32.45 GMD 2,398

26.47%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$14.82 GMD 1,095

-40.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$48.22 GMD 3,563

-52.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$25.25 GMD 1,866

48.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$14.33 GMD 1,059

-47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$3.58 GMD 264

35.47%

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

$213 MYR 844

$7.04 GMD 520

2922.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$139 GMD 10.3K

5730.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$55.7 GMD 4,116

-13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$44.94 GMD 3,321

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$97.8 GMD 7,229

-44.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$86.8 GMD 6,414

-44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$103 GMD 7,644

348.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$52.8 GMD 3,905

548.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$226 GMD 16.7K

267.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$144 GMD 10.6K

274.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$1,461 GMD 108.0K

119.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$1,121 GMD 82.8K

-81.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$60.5 GMD 4,468

2847.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

10.12

-55.63%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Last update for Banjul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 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 2847% 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 $64.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Petaling Jaya vs $153 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 49%, 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 $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $898 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 $892 in Petaling Jaya and $598 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $892 in Petaling Jaya and $598 in Banjul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.