Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Gombak Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Gombak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya versus $933 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,387 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,841 in Gombak.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 11% more expensive than in Gombak, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Gombak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.75

$3.79 MYR 15.52

-5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 101

$24.48 MYR 100

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.26

$5.01 MYR 20.50

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$3.08 MYR 12.62

-3.25%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.94 MYR 3.86

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$3.24 MYR 13.26

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.09

$5.84 MYR 23.91

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.86 MYR 7.60

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.29

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.49 MYR 6.09

1.34%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.27

$1.83 MYR 7.50

-2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.31

$9.63 MYR 39.42

2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.76

$3.24 MYR 13.24

3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.13

$9.55 MYR 39.10

0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$3.46 MYR 14.15

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.89 MYR 7.73

1.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.76 MYR 11.31

-2.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.74 MYR 7.12

4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.14

$1.97 MYR 8.07

1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.49 MYR 6.09

0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.56 MYR 2.31

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.25

$4.47 MYR 18.31

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$19.16 MYR 78.4

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.49

$4.64 MYR 18.99

-2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$0.76 MYR 3.10

65.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.8

$12.11 MYR 49.56

2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.26 MYR 5.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.39 MYR 1.59

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.46

$9.20 MYR 37.66

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.77 MYR 3.15

2.60%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

$42.2K MYR 172.8K

-1.49%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

$32.6K MYR 133.4K

-0.43%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$48.90 MYR 200

1.55%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.92

$8.16 MYR 33.38

-1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 113

$27.03 MYR 111

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$39.64 MYR 162

30.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.53

$7.22 MYR 29.57

-57.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$3.12 MYR 12.78

53.53%

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

$282 MYR 1,155

$283 MYR 1,158

-0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$51.7 MYR 212

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 124

$30.41 MYR 124

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 323

$77.3 MYR 316

2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$87.5 MYR 358

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,969

$423 MYR 1,733

13.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,640

$318 MYR 1,301

26.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,523

$674 MYR 2,760

27.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,315

$434 MYR 1,778

30.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$2,332 MYR 9,545

37.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,990

$1,106 MYR 4,527

-11.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

$544 MYR 2,227

214.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Gombak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Petaling Jaya and $423 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 214% 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 $24.00 in Gombak. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $249, with Petaling Jaya cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gombak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gombak wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gombak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 214% 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 $423 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Petaling Jaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gombak – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $933 in Gombak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gombak but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Gombak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $933 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gombak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Gombak 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 Gombak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.