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: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $781 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,224 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,667 in Bintulu.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 17% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Bintulu 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.71 MYR 14.66

-7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$17.73 MYR 70.0

4.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$5.67 MYR 22.40

-18.69%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.80 MYR 11.07

-0.71%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.62 MYR 2.44

8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$2.80 MYR 11.05

27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$4.89 MYR 19.33

5.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.74 MYR 6.88

9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.38 MYR 5.45

-29.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.32 MYR 5.21

35.61%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$2.11 MYR 8.34

6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$16.62 MYR 65.7

-35.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$3.33 MYR 13.17

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$5.77 MYR 22.79

42.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$1.61 MYR 6.36

67.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$0.90 MYR 3.57

92.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$1.63 MYR 6.44

52.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.11 MYR 4.38

14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$0.49 MYR 1.95

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.20 MYR 4.76

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.73 MYR 2.88

23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.42 MYR 1.66

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.08 MYR 16.12

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$19.12 MYR 75.5

5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.79 MYR 11.01

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$1.91 MYR 7.53

105.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-38.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$15.86 MYR 62.6

-26.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.92 MYR 3.63

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$0.88 MYR 3.46

-60.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$2.39 MYR 9.46

277.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.51 MYR 2.03

-1.96%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

-25.58%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

-26.59%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$57.9 MYR 229

-30.44%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.27 MYR 36.61

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$29.53 MYR 117

-22.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$65.7 MYR 259

-43.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$6.00 MYR 23.71

24.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$4.26 MYR 16.84

17.14%

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

$214 MYR 846

$122 MYR 483

75.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$63.3 MYR 250

-23.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$33.69 MYR 133

0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$76.8 MYR 303

-28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$89.5 MYR 353

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$213 MYR 843

120.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$151 MYR 597

129.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$467 MYR 1,845

75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$316 MYR 1,248

75.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,831 MYR 7,234

81.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$1,198 MYR 4,732

-82.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$639 MYR 2,525

174.80%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $213 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 175% 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 $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $222 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 17% 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 175% 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 $213 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $781 in Bintulu – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 36% 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 $781 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 17% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.