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: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 7% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 24% lower, George Town 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.71

$3.36 MYR 13.72

7.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 100

$15.02 MYR 61.3

63.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.21

$4.75 MYR 19.39

4.21%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.78 MYR 11.35

7.19%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.76

$0.77 MYR 3.14

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.32 MYR 1.32

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.29

$2.44 MYR 9.96

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.03

$4.36 MYR 17.78

35.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.80 MYR 7.36

3.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.69 MYR 6.89

-10.65%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.25

$2.22 MYR 9.06

-19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.20

$12.99 MYR 53.0

-24.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.73

$4.30 MYR 17.55

-21.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.03

$8.63 MYR 35.22

10.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.13

$2.43 MYR 9.93

42.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$1.48 MYR 6.05

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.93

$2.24 MYR 9.13

19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$1.22 MYR 4.96

49.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.48

$0.92 MYR 3.77

126.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$0.85 MYR 3.49

134.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$0.77 MYR 3.15

94.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.20

$4.62 MYR 18.84

-3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$19.06 MYR 77.8

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.75

$2.51 MYR 10.26

4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.44

$3.59 MYR 14.65

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$0.47 MYR 1.90

168.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.7

$10.93 MYR 44.63

13.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.20 MYR 4.92

5.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$6.71 MYR 27.41

36.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.76 MYR 3.10

3.95%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-2.28%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.5K

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

13.14%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$36.69 MYR 150

35.35%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.83

$8.25 MYR 33.68

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 112

$29.93 MYR 122

-8.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$41.24 MYR 168

25.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.50

$4.77 MYR 19.49

-35.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.55

$4.71 MYR 19.23

1.70%

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

$282 MYR 1,152

$175 MYR 715

61.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

111.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$55.0 MYR 225

-7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 123

$34.40 MYR 140

-12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 322

$73.1 MYR 298

7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$71.2 MYR 291

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,964

$498 MYR 2,034

-3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,636

$373 MYR 1,524

7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,514

$919 MYR 3,750

-6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,309

$980 MYR 4,001

-42.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,980

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,978

$1,081 MYR 4,414

58.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.24

6.37%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Petaling Jaya and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 58% 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: $25.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $239 per month, with George Town 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $498 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 14% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $282 in Petaling Jaya versus $175 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in George Town versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 7% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.