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: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $802 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,233 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,665 in Gombak.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 13% more expensive than Gombak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Gombak 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$2.64 MYR 10.72

37.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$18.95 MYR 76.8

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$3.74 MYR 15.17

25.40%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.22 MYR 8.98

22.07%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.73 MYR 2.94

-6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.34 MYR 1.36

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$3.61 MYR 14.62

-2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.91 MYR 7.73

0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.00 MYR 4.05

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.44 MYR 5.84

20.83%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$1.85 MYR 7.51

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$10.78 MYR 43.70

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$3.55 MYR 14.41

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$8.11 MYR 32.87

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.69 MYR 10.92

2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.49 MYR 10.10

-0.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.19 MYR 4.84

1.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.15 MYR 4.66

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$0.99 MYR 4.02

39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.95 MYR 3.87

-1.05%

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

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$19.77 MYR 80.2

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.75 MYR 11.15

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$3.88 MYR 15.73

-2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.74 MYR 3.02

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.87 MYR 48.15

0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.98 MYR 3.99

1.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.10 MYR 4.47

-70.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$4.22 MYR 17.12

121.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 1.99

-4.08%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

-0.96%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$27.5K MYR 111.3K

2.58%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$41.15 MYR 167

-0.53%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.55 MYR 38.74

-7.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$22.93 MYR 93.0

1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$36.20 MYR 147

1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.75 MYR 23.33

25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.81 MYR 19.52

4.16%

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

$209 MYR 849

$116 MYR 471

80.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

91.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$48.29 MYR 196

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$27.46 MYR 111

23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$53.6 MYR 217

0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$48.92 MYR 198

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$392 MYR 1,590

20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$266 MYR 1,079

30.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$644 MYR 2,611

26.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$472 MYR 1,916

14.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$2,000 MYR 8,110

57.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$956 MYR 3,877

-78.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$552 MYR 2,238

215.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.96

13.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gombak: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $392 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 216% 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 $19.00 in Gombak. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $233, with Gombak 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 13% 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.

Petaling Jaya pays 216% 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 $392 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 $19.00 versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gombak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 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 13% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.