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: $912 in Petaling Jaya versus $865 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,328 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,758 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,791 in George Town.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 5% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, George Town 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$2.99 MYR 12.22

17.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$21.46 MYR 87.6

-10.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$4.14 MYR 16.91

15.46%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.58 MYR 10.52

7.75%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.78 MYR 3.17

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.34 MYR 1.37

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$4.22 MYR 17.22

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$4.62 MYR 18.88

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.81 MYR 7.41

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.63 MYR 6.65

9.82%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.06 MYR 8.41

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$17.36 MYR 70.9

-39.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$5.11 MYR 20.86

-33.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$10.81 MYR 44.15

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.92 MYR 11.92

-9.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.40 MYR 5.71

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.15 MYR 8.76

17.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$0.84 MYR 3.45

40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.17 MYR 4.78

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.74 MYR 3.00

29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.55 MYR 2.23

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.18 MYR 17.07

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$19.20 MYR 78.4

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.72 MYR 11.11

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$3.54 MYR 14.44

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.45 MYR 1.84

68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$11.63 MYR 47.49

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.46 MYR 1.89

-28.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$6.60 MYR 26.96

42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.46 MYR 1.86

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-8.62%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

13.49%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$38.72 MYR 158

4.47%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.78 MYR 39.94

-6.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$29.08 MYR 119

-22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$38.41 MYR 157

-2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$3.81 MYR 15.55

92.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$3.92 MYR 15.99

24.49%

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

$208 MYR 850

$148 MYR 606

40.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

77.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$52.6 MYR 215

-8.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$28.34 MYR 116

22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$62.3 MYR 255

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$52.3 MYR 214

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$364 MYR 1,488

26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$257 MYR 1,049

32.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$711 MYR 2,901

16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$495 MYR 2,019

8.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

$1,072 MYR 4,378

64.52%

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 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Petaling Jaya and $364 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 65% 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 $265 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 65% 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 $364 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 0% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $208 in Petaling Jaya versus $148 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 5% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.