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: $912 in Petaling Jaya versus $796 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,228 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,758 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,661 in Bintulu.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 15% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$3.83 MYR 15.63

-8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$17.41 MYR 71.1

9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$5.52 MYR 22.53

-13.41%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.79 MYR 11.38

-0.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.66 MYR 2.71

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$2.84 MYR 11.61

27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$5.03 MYR 20.53

-1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.72 MYR 7.03

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.37 MYR 5.58

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.27 MYR 5.18

40.94%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.10 MYR 8.58

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$16.76 MYR 68.4

-37.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$3.47 MYR 14.18

-1.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$5.63 MYR 22.97

47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$1.62 MYR 6.62

63.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$0.92 MYR 3.74

82.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$1.60 MYR 6.54

58.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.07 MYR 4.35

12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$0.53 MYR 2.16

122.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.19 MYR 4.87

16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.68 MYR 2.79

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.43 MYR 1.76

37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.03 MYR 16.46

4.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$19.73 MYR 80.6

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.87 MYR 11.72

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$1.93 MYR 7.87

105.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$15.40 MYR 62.9

-24.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.98 MYR 4.00

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.93 MYR 3.80

-64.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$2.32 MYR 9.46

306.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-16.36%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

-27.59%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

-23.70%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$57.3 MYR 234

-29.42%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.36 MYR 38.21

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$29.91 MYR 122

-24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$65.2 MYR 266

-42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$5.96 MYR 24.33

23.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$4.19 MYR 17.10

16.47%

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

$208 MYR 850

$121 MYR 493

72.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$61.6 MYR 251

-21.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$33.91 MYR 138

2.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$76.4 MYR 312

-29.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$88.7 MYR 362

-44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$214 MYR 875

114.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$152 MYR 622

123.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$461 MYR 1,881

79.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$315 MYR 1,287

70.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$1,704 MYR 6,956

83.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,154 MYR 4,711

-82.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

$601 MYR 2,455

193.38%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Petaling Jaya and $214 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 193% 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 $224 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 15% 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 193% 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: $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $214 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $912 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $796 in Bintulu – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 33% 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 $796 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 15% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.