Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $869 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,333 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,797 in Kedah.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 5% more expensive than Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Kedah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.10 MYR 12.26

10.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$20.93 MYR 82.7

-11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$4.12 MYR 16.26

11.89%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.92 MYR 11.52

-4.79%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.74 MYR 2.91

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.36 MYR 1.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$4.53 MYR 17.91

14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.81 MYR 7.16

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$0.92 MYR 3.65

5.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.21 MYR 4.78

47.93%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$2.06 MYR 8.15

8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$14.78 MYR 58.4

-27.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.98 MYR 19.67

-28.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$14.83 MYR 58.6

-44.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.78 MYR 10.99

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.20 MYR 4.76

44.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.71 MYR 10.70

-8.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.15 MYR 8.51

-40.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.17 MYR 4.64

1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.18 MYR 4.64

13.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.95 MYR 3.74

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.45 MYR 1.77

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.32 MYR 17.08

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$19.89 MYR 78.6

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.69 MYR 10.61

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$3.54 MYR 13.96

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.68 MYR 2.70

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.59 MYR 45.78

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.72 MYR 2.86

36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$0.47 MYR 1.85

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$6.96 MYR 27.49

29.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

-5.66%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

3.14%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$37.91 MYR 150

6.17%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$10.09 MYR 39.84

-9.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$11.64 MYR 45.97

97.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$37.47 MYR 148

-0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.95 MYR 23.49

25.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$2.77 MYR 10.95

80.14%

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

$214 MYR 846

$238 MYR 942

-10.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

29.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$54.7 MYR 216

-10.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$29.36 MYR 116

15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$61.0 MYR 241

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$52.8 MYR 208

-6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$394 MYR 1,558

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$265 MYR 1,046

30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$656 MYR 2,590

25.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$470 MYR 1,858

17.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,947 MYR 7,692

70.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$795 MYR 3,142

-73.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$1,390 MYR 5,491

26.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.16

7.93%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kedah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $394 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 26% 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 $21.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $272 per month, with Petaling Jaya cheaper across the board.

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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Kedah differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($910 vs $869 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 26% 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 $394 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Petaling Jaya versus $238 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Petaling Jaya pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kedah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.