Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kajang, Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kajang, Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $925 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,407 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,890 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 1% cheaper than Kajang, Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kajang, Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Kajang, Selangor 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$3.62 MYR 14.76

-3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$18.64 MYR 76.1

2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$4.79 MYR 19.57

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$3.13 MYR 12.77

-11.18%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.80 MYR 3.27

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$4.68 MYR 19.10

-22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$6.04 MYR 24.65

-18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.81 MYR 7.38

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-8.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.64 MYR 6.71

9.15%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$1.90 MYR 7.74

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$15.61 MYR 63.7

-32.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$5.12 MYR 20.92

-33.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$9.49 MYR 38.73

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.90 MYR 11.82

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.62 MYR 6.60

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-35.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.52 MYR 6.19

-22.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.74 MYR 7.08

-20.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-21.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.52 MYR 2.12

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.17 MYR 17.04

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$14.15 MYR 57.8

40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.76 MYR 11.25

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$3.00 MYR 12.27

32.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.72 MYR 2.96

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$11.70 MYR 47.76

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.03 MYR 4.20

-67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$4.69 MYR 19.15

100.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.46 MYR 1.88

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

-12.83%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

-14.67%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$46.16 MYR 188

-12.37%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.60 MYR 39.19

-4.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$30.97 MYR 126

-26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$36.78 MYR 150

1.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$5.97 MYR 24.39

23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$5.08 MYR 20.74

-3.94%

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

$208 MYR 850

$214 MYR 875

-2.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

15.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$60.0 MYR 245

-19.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$37.70 MYR 154

-8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$85.4 MYR 349

-36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$71.4 MYR 292

-31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$393 MYR 1,605

17.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$269 MYR 1,100

26.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$639 MYR 2,608

29.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$464 MYR 1,896

15.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,029 MYR 8,284

53.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,213 MYR 4,951

-83.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $393 in Kajang, Selangor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $256 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kajang, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $912 in Petaling Jaya, $925 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 1% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,367 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,387 in Kajang, Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya and $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $912 in Petaling Jaya and $925 in Kajang, Selangor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Kajang, Selangor at $925. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kajang, Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $912 in Petaling Jaya to $925 in Kajang, Selangor. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kajang, Selangor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.