Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,781 in George Town.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 10% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, George Town 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.13 MYR 12.71

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$21.31 MYR 86.4

-11.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.14 MYR 16.80

13.29%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.58 MYR 10.46

5.04%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.77 MYR 3.14

-11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.33 MYR 1.36

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$4.79 MYR 19.42

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.85 MYR 7.50

3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.12 MYR 4.54

-15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.69 MYR 6.85

2.96%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$2.05 MYR 8.32

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-38.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$4.95 MYR 20.07

-28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$10.66 MYR 43.24

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.82 MYR 11.44

-2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.43 MYR 5.82

20.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.19 MYR 8.87

12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.89 MYR 3.59

29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.21 MYR 4.91

14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.69 MYR 2.78

36.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.55 MYR 2.25

14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.02 MYR 16.28

2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$12.54 MYR 50.9

55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.63 MYR 10.68

4.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$3.38 MYR 13.72

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.49 MYR 1.97

55.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.56 MYR 46.89

3.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.44 MYR 1.78

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$6.61 MYR 26.80

41.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.47 MYR 1.89

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-5.70%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

13.94%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$38.53 MYR 156

6.23%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.93 MYR 40.25

-10.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$29.52 MYR 120

-21.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$38.84 MYR 157

-5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$3.66 MYR 14.85

97.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.06 MYR 16.45

23.40%

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

$209 MYR 849

$150 MYR 607

39.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

77.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$50.8 MYR 206

-4.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$29.05 MYR 118

17.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$60.5 MYR 245

-10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$52.4 MYR 213

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$370 MYR 1,501

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$259 MYR 1,051

33.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$712 MYR 2,887

14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$498 MYR 2,018

9.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$1,085 MYR 4,400

60.57%

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 8, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 61% 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 $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $251 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Petaling Jaya pays 61% 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 $370 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 4% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $209 in Petaling Jaya versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though George Town gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Petaling Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.