Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 42% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Bukit Mertajam 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$1.85 MYR 7.32

85.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$20.24 MYR 80.0

-8.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$3.82 MYR 15.09

20.68%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.33 MYR 9.19

19.31%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$3.02 MYR 11.93

18.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$4.74 MYR 18.71

9.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.68 MYR 6.63

13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.13 MYR 4.47

-14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$0.61 MYR 2.41

193.44%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.86 MYR 7.34

20.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-51.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.88 MYR 19.27

-27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$10.54 MYR 41.64

-22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-30.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-50.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.71 MYR 6.75

-30.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.00 MYR 3.97

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.07 MYR 4.22

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.36 MYR 1.44

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.19 MYR 16.55

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$19.23 MYR 76.0

4.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$2.56 MYR 10.10

53.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.72 MYR 2.86

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.90 MYR 47.00

-1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.17 MYR 16.49

116.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.50 MYR 1.97

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

-27.78%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

-10.68%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$26.25 MYR 104

53.33%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.95 MYR 39.29

-8.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$28.38 MYR 112

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.20 MYR 143

3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$6.00 MYR 23.72

24.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$4.30 MYR 16.98

16.05%

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

$214 MYR 846

$117 MYR 461

83.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

85.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$11.96 MYR 47.25

307.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$63.0 MYR 249

-46.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$23.31 MYR 92.1

135.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$79.9 MYR 316

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$383 MYR 1,514

22.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$59.0 MYR 233

488.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$647 MYR 2,556

26.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$467 MYR 1,845

18.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$975 MYR 3,853

80.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.96

13.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 80% 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 $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $297 per month, with Petaling Jaya 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($910 vs $639 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 80% 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 $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $910 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.