Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 4% less than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.59 MYR 14.56

1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$18.77 MYR 76.1

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-10.26%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.82 MYR 7.37

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.93 MYR 3.76

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.29 MYR 5.25

34.88%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$1.87 MYR 7.59

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$10.72 MYR 43.49

0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$3.49 MYR 14.17

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$8.21 MYR 33.29

-3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.77 MYR 11.21

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.48 MYR 6.00

16.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.48 MYR 10.04

-0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.26 MYR 5.10

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.14 MYR 4.61

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.33 MYR 5.38

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.94 MYR 3.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.57 MYR 2.30

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$14.08 MYR 57.1

38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.64 MYR 10.72

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$2.93 MYR 11.90

28.67%

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

$11.67 MYR 47.34

2.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.02 MYR 4.13

-2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.99 MYR 4.03

-67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$9.41 MYR 38.15

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.46 MYR 1.85

2.17%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-12.62%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

2.81%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$41.08 MYR 167

-0.37%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.14 MYR 37.06

-2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$30.22 MYR 123

-23.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$34.97 MYR 142

5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$6.01 MYR 24.37

20.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-0.60%

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

$209 MYR 849

$184 MYR 746

13.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

17.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$49.20 MYR 200

-1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$19.06 MYR 77.3

78.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$54.1 MYR 219

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$40.69 MYR 165

19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$469 MYR 1,901

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$397 MYR 1,611

-12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$816 MYR 3,311

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$611 MYR 2,478

-11.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$2,079 MYR 8,432

51.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$1,163 MYR 4,714

-81.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$1,108 MYR 4,492

57.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.07

10.32%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $217, with Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($909 vs $943 including rent). Petaling Jaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 57% 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 $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Petaling Jaya – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $19.00 in Johor Bahru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $943 in Johor Bahru – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $943 in Johor Bahru, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Petaling Jaya but tight or insufficient in Johor Bahru. The gap between the two cities makes Petaling Jaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru 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 Petaling Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.