Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $859 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,310 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,762 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Kangar, Perlis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$3.52 MYR 14.36

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$19.01 MYR 77.6

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$4.83 MYR 19.72

-1.04%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.77 MYR 11.30

0.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.72 MYR 2.95

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$3.44 MYR 14.06

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$4.84 MYR 19.75

1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.79 MYR 7.29

7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$0.94 MYR 3.86

-1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.29 MYR 5.26

38.76%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.13 MYR 8.68

3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$15.14 MYR 61.8

-30.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$9.41 MYR 38.43

-12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.45 MYR 5.91

15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.61 MYR 10.67

-3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.18 MYR 4.83

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.32 MYR 5.40

5.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.55 MYR 2.27

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.33 MYR 17.69

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$16.63 MYR 67.9

19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.82 MYR 11.51

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$3.01 MYR 12.30

31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.70 MYR 2.84

8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$11.69 MYR 47.73

-0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.16 MYR 4.73

-12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-67.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$5.80 MYR 23.67

62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.46 MYR 1.89

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

-12.71%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

-11.26%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$42.93 MYR 175

-5.78%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.33 MYR 38.10

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$28.91 MYR 118

-21.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$36.62 MYR 150

1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$6.00 MYR 24.49

22.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$4.86 MYR 19.86

0.41%

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

$208 MYR 850

$187 MYR 763

11.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

18.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$61.5 MYR 251

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$27.36 MYR 112

26.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$72.0 MYR 294

-24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$51.3 MYR 210

-4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$394 MYR 1,609

16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$268 MYR 1,096

26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$646 MYR 2,639

27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$469 MYR 1,914

14.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,332 MYR 9,522

33.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,271 MYR 5,191

-83.93%

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 Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $394 in Kangar, Perlis. 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 Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $247 – 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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $912 in Petaling Jaya, $859 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 6% apart. Petaling Jaya 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 $1,288 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, 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 Kangar, Perlis. 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Petaling Jaya and $859 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $859 in Kangar, Perlis to $912 in Petaling Jaya. 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 Kangar, Perlis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.