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: $1,060 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,061 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,503 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,551 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $2,042 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs are close between Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Johor Bahru 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.74

$3.64 MYR 14.81

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 MYR 101

$21.40 MYR 87.1

16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$4.95 MYR 20.14

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$3.03 MYR 12.31

2.64%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.52

$0.84 MYR 3.43

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.20

$4.40 MYR 17.91

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 23.96

$6.13 MYR 24.95

-3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.75 MYR 7.13

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.46 MYR 5.95

-1.37%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.76 MYR 7.16

5.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.27

$18.53 MYR 75.4

-45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.64 MYR 18.86

-30.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 MYR 38.75

$10.85 MYR 44.12

-12.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.91

$3.47 MYR 14.11

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.69 MYR 6.86

10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.80

$3.96 MYR 16.09

-33.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.63 MYR 6.64

8.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$1.47 MYR 5.98

46.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.30

$1.74 MYR 7.08

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.33 MYR 5.43

9.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.28

$4.28 MYR 17.41

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.9

$14.41 MYR 58.6

31.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.84

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.88

$3.04 MYR 12.35

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$0.77 MYR 3.13

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.0

$12.45 MYR 50.6

-1.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.44 MYR 5.85

-14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MYR 36.84

$9.69 MYR 39.44

-6.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.78 MYR 3.19

-5.13%

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

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

$42.9K MYR 174.6K

-3.51%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$36.1K MYR 146.9K

-9.16%

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

$49.97 MYR 203

$53.3 MYR 217

-6.27%

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

$8.26 MYR 33.61

$11.37 MYR 46.27

-27.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 MYR 109

$29.26 MYR 119

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 MYR 217

$40.41 MYR 164

31.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.87

$5.62 MYR 22.86

-43.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$4.86 MYR 19.75

0.21%

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

$281 MYR 1,144

$167 MYR 679

68.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

$4,463 MYR 18.2K

135.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$66.5 MYR 271

-21.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 MYR 122

$16.90 MYR 68.8

77.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$81.7 MYR 332

-2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 MYR 347

$40.29 MYR 164

111.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,008

$518 MYR 2,108

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,680

$395 MYR 1,606

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 MYR 3,447

$903 MYR 3,673

-6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 MYR 2,245

$631 MYR 2,567

-12.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

$2,032 MYR 8,266

58.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 MYR 3,868

$1,176 MYR 4,784

-19.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 MYR 7,157

$1,090 MYR 4,434

61.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.06

11.08%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Petaling Jaya and $518 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 61% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $25.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $21.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $273, 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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 61% 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: $494 in Petaling Jaya versus $518 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $281 in Petaling Jaya versus $167 in Johor Bahru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Petaling Jaya – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $21.00 in Johor Bahru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,060 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,061 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.

It comes down to priorities – Petaling Jaya wins on affordability, Johor Bahru on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.