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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $853 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,328 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,802 in Butterworth, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 5% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Butterworth 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$3.03 MYR 12.01

14.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$21.48 MYR 85.2

-12.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$4.78 MYR 18.93

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.87 MYR 11.39

-6.27%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.74 MYR 2.92

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.37 MYR 1.45

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$4.46 MYR 17.70

13.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.87 MYR 7.42

1.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$1.04 MYR 4.12

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.73 MYR 6.87

2.31%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$2.08 MYR 8.24

5.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$14.75 MYR 58.5

-28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$4.78 MYR 18.95

-29.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$9.66 MYR 38.31

-16.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.82 MYR 11.17

-2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.49 MYR 5.92

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$2.73 MYR 10.81

-8.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.46 MYR 5.79

-13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$1.19 MYR 4.72

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.18 MYR 4.68

12.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$0.95 MYR 3.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.49 MYR 1.95

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$4.28 MYR 16.96

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$19.51 MYR 77.4

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$2.72 MYR 10.78

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$3.49 MYR 13.85

10.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.70 MYR 2.77

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.80 MYR 46.81

1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$0.69 MYR 2.73

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.54 MYR 2.16

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$4.70 MYR 18.62

99.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.46 MYR 1.82

6.52%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$33.9K MYR 134.5K

-8.37%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$27.5K MYR 108.9K

2.58%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$39.43 MYR 156

4.08%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$10.01 MYR 39.68

-11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$25.58 MYR 101

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$36.93 MYR 146

1.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$6.03 MYR 23.91

25.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$5.05 MYR 20.03

-3.96%

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

$213 MYR 844

$242 MYR 958

-11.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$6,240 MYR 24.7K

30.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$53.9 MYR 214

-10.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$29.35 MYR 116

19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$61.6 MYR 244

-12.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$52.1 MYR 206

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$390 MYR 1,546

19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$274 MYR 1,085

25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$637 MYR 2,527

30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$480 MYR 1,905

12.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$2,010 MYR 7,971

59.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$991 MYR 3,929

-78.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $390 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: $237 vs $258 – 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: $892 in Petaling Jaya, $853 in Butterworth – roughly 5% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,280 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 $892 in Petaling Jaya and $853 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $892 in Petaling Jaya and $853 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 $853 in Butterworth to $892 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.