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: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $843 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,306 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,769 in George Town.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 8% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, George Town 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.02 MYR 11.93

13.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$21.35 MYR 84.3

-13.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$4.27 MYR 16.86

7.96%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.62 MYR 10.35

6.11%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.77 MYR 3.03

-12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.36 MYR 1.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$4.36 MYR 17.20

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$4.68 MYR 18.49

10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.82 MYR 7.21

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.67 MYR 6.60

7.19%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$2.10 MYR 8.31

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$17.50 MYR 69.1

-38.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.97 MYR 19.65

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$10.47 MYR 41.35

-21.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.86 MYR 11.30

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.40 MYR 5.53

23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.25 MYR 8.90

10.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.28 MYR 5.04

-0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$0.87 MYR 3.44

36.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.16 MYR 4.57

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.70 MYR 2.76

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.52 MYR 2.04

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.18 MYR 16.51

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$12.70 MYR 50.2

58.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.64 MYR 10.45

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$3.36 MYR 13.29

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.49 MYR 1.93

53.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.80 MYR 46.62

-0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$0.44 MYR 1.73

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$6.39 MYR 25.26

41.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

-6.57%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

12.26%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$38.18 MYR 151

5.42%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.68 MYR 38.23

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$28.98 MYR 114

-20.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$38.37 MYR 152

-2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$3.78 MYR 14.94

97.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$4.13 MYR 16.30

20.82%

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

$214 MYR 846

$146 MYR 578

46.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

73.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$52.5 MYR 207

-7.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$28.61 MYR 113

18.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$62.5 MYR 247

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$52.1 MYR 206

-5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$371 MYR 1,465

26.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$253 MYR 999

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$709 MYR 2,799

15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$498 MYR 1,969

11.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$1,112 MYR 4,393

57.92%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for George Town: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $371 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: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Petaling Jaya pays 58% 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 $371 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 1% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $214 in Petaling Jaya versus $146 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 8% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.