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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $852 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,326 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,801 in Butterworth, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 8% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Butterworth 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$3.00 MYR 12.27

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$20.87 MYR 85.3

-9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.75 MYR 19.45

-2.74%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$2.98 MYR 12.17

-6.38%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.68 MYR 2.77

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$4.12 MYR 16.84

-11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$4.33 MYR 17.69

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.87 MYR 7.65

-1.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.98 MYR 4.02

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.66 MYR 6.78

3.01%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$2.11 MYR 8.65

2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$14.44 MYR 59.1

-26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$4.52 MYR 18.48

-22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$9.60 MYR 39.26

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$2.91 MYR 11.92

-7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.50 MYR 6.14

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$2.60 MYR 10.65

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.51 MYR 6.18

-19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.18 MYR 4.82

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.21 MYR 4.96

14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$0.90 MYR 3.67

-2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.45 MYR 1.84

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.27 MYR 17.47

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$19.21 MYR 78.6

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.68 MYR 10.97

0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$3.55 MYR 14.53

10.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.72 MYR 2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.97 MYR 48.97

-2.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.69 MYR 2.83

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$4.77 MYR 19.51

95.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.47 MYR 1.91

-2.13%

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

-3.04%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$26.9K MYR 110.2K

2.89%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$39.21 MYR 160

2.88%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$10.28 MYR 42.04

-11.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$25.38 MYR 104

-10.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$37.06 MYR 152

0.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$5.82 MYR 23.82

26.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-4.56%

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

$210 MYR 857

$235 MYR 960

-10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$6,109 MYR 25.0K

31.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$54.9 MYR 225

-8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$29.20 MYR 119

15.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$62.1 MYR 254

-11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$52.2 MYR 214

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$386 MYR 1,578

18.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$268 MYR 1,095

28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$652 MYR 2,667

25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$470 MYR 1,921

14.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,066 MYR 8,452

55.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,178 MYR 4,820

-82.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.16

7.93%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $386 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $254 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $920 in Petaling Jaya, $852 in Butterworth – roughly 8% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,278 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $920 in Petaling Jaya and $852 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $920 in Petaling Jaya and $852 in Butterworth, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Butterworth to $920 in Petaling Jaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.