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: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $813 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,221 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,629 in Gombak.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 12% more expensive than Gombak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Gombak 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$2.66 MYR 10.49

29.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$18.98 MYR 75.0

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$3.85 MYR 15.23

19.74%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.35 MYR 9.27

18.30%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.72 MYR 2.85

-6.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$3.59 MYR 14.19

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$4.93 MYR 19.49

4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.91 MYR 7.54

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.03 MYR 4.06

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.49 MYR 5.88

20.13%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.82 MYR 7.21

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$10.56 MYR 41.71

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$3.48 MYR 13.76

2.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$7.99 MYR 31.57

2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.64 MYR 10.42

1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.67 MYR 6.60

3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.52 MYR 9.96

-1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.21 MYR 4.79

4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.14 MYR 4.51

4.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.00 MYR 3.97

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.52 MYR 2.03

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.29 MYR 16.94

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$20.51 MYR 81.0

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.77 MYR 10.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$3.84 MYR 15.15

2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.75 MYR 2.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.87 MYR 46.88

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.10 MYR 4.36

-68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.36 MYR 17.20

107.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.46 MYR 1.82

8.70%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$30.8K MYR 121.8K

3.19%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$27.9K MYR 110.2K

0.57%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$40.51 MYR 160

-0.64%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.68 MYR 38.26

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$22.57 MYR 89.2

1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.78 MYR 145

1.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.73 MYR 22.64

30.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.07 MYR 20.01

-1.58%

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

$214 MYR 846

$118 MYR 468

80.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,369 MYR 17.3K

84.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$49.88 MYR 197

-2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$27.00 MYR 107

25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$54.6 MYR 216

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$48.28 MYR 191

2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$391 MYR 1,543

20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$274 MYR 1,082

26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$635 MYR 2,510

29.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$477 MYR 1,883

16.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,824 MYR 7,206

82.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$941 MYR 3,717

-77.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$567 MYR 2,238

210.00%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gombak: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $391 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 210% 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 $239 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 12% 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 210% 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 $391 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $813 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 12% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.