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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya versus $843 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,334 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,824 in Bintulu.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 23% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.70

$3.89 MYR 15.88

-7.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 100

$18.53 MYR 75.6

32.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.20

$5.78 MYR 23.57

-14.36%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.17

$2.96 MYR 12.09

0.68%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.75

$0.64 MYR 2.62

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.37 MYR 1.53

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.28

$2.93 MYR 11.94

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.01

$5.13 MYR 20.93

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.62

$2.16 MYR 8.80

-13.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.37 MYR 5.61

-23.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.32 MYR 5.39

14.39%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.25

$2.18 MYR 8.90

-18.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.17

$16.92 MYR 69.0

-41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.72

$3.46 MYR 14.12

-2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.00

$5.93 MYR 24.20

61.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$1.67 MYR 6.82

107.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.83

$1.01 MYR 4.11

90.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.92

$1.67 MYR 6.82

60.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$1.16 MYR 4.75

56.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.47

$0.52 MYR 2.10

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.11

$1.20 MYR 4.89

65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.10

$0.76 MYR 3.09

97.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.44 MYR 1.81

20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.19

$4.20 MYR 17.13

6.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.0

$19.38 MYR 79.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.74

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.43

$1.93 MYR 7.87

134.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.20 MYR 4.88

5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.7

$16.15 MYR 65.9

-23.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.00 MYR 4.07

26.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.89 MYR 3.64

-59.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.34

$2.40 MYR 9.77

281.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$0.59 MYR 2.40

33.90%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.7K

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

-7.60%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.4K

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

-16.48%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$59.7 MYR 244

-16.82%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.81

$31.36 MYR 128

-74.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 112

$31.26 MYR 128

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$68.8 MYR 281

-24.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.49

$12.31 MYR 50.2

-75.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.54

$4.47 MYR 18.22

7.16%

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

$282 MYR 1,152

$129 MYR 528

118.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.9K

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

40.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$66.1 MYR 270

-23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 123

$35.14 MYR 143

-14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 322

$79.7 MYR 325

-0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 344

$91.7 MYR 374

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,963

$219 MYR 892

120.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,634

$155 MYR 632

158.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,511

$487 MYR 1,988

76.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,307

$338 MYR 1,378

67.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$1,724 MYR 7,035

86.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,977

$1,139 MYR 4,646

-14.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,973

$603 MYR 2,458

183.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.5

0.22%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Petaling Jaya and $219 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $232 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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 Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 184% higher in Petaling Jaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $219 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $843 in Bintulu – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 30% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Bintulu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.