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: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $802 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,238 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,674 in Bintulu.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 13% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.83 MYR 15.52

-5.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$17.48 MYR 70.9

8.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$5.73 MYR 23.24

-18.15%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.78 MYR 11.27

-2.52%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.67 MYR 2.71

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.37 MYR 1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$2.79 MYR 11.33

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$4.84 MYR 19.65

2.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.72 MYR 6.97

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.32 MYR 5.35

-28.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.31 MYR 5.30

32.82%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$2.18 MYR 8.84

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$16.62 MYR 67.4

-34.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$3.52 MYR 14.26

1.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$5.80 MYR 23.52

36.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$1.63 MYR 6.60

69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$0.92 MYR 3.74

88.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$1.63 MYR 6.60

51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.07 MYR 4.32

13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.53 MYR 2.13

116.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.15 MYR 4.65

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.67 MYR 2.73

40.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.43 MYR 1.73

46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$3.90 MYR 15.83

5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$19.51 MYR 79.1

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.81 MYR 11.40

-2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$1.86 MYR 7.53

102.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.20 MYR 4.86

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$15.64 MYR 63.4

-23.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.91 MYR 3.69

8.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.88 MYR 3.55

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$2.33 MYR 9.43

301.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.51 MYR 2.05

-7.84%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$42.4K MYR 171.9K

-26.19%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$38.0K MYR 154.1K

-25.90%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$59.1 MYR 240

-30.76%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$8.97 MYR 36.37

-1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$29.31 MYR 119

-20.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$66.4 MYR 269

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.88 MYR 23.83

22.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.14 MYR 16.79

21.01%

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

$209 MYR 849

$121 MYR 491

73.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$7,172 MYR 29.1K

13.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$62.3 MYR 253

-22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$34.27 MYR 139

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$75.5 MYR 306

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$87.8 MYR 356

-44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$212 MYR 859

122.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$151 MYR 611

130.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$461 MYR 1,870

77.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$318 MYR 1,291

70.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$1,756 MYR 7,122

79.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$1,159 MYR 4,701

-81.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$611 MYR 2,478

185.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.5

-0.22%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $212 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 185% 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: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $17.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $223 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 13% 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.

Petaling Jaya pays 185% more on average, 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: $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $212 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $802 in Bintulu – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 31% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 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 13% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.