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: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $868 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,344 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,819 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

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.02 MYR 12.24

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$21.42 MYR 86.9

-11.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.28 MYR 17.34

9.58%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.95 MYR 11.95

-8.14%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.37 MYR 1.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$4.40 MYR 17.83

-20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$4.48 MYR 18.18

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.81 MYR 7.34

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.91 MYR 3.67

4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.21 MYR 4.91

43.80%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$2.11 MYR 8.58

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$15.33 MYR 62.2

-29.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$5.00 MYR 20.26

-28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$14.66 MYR 59.5

-45.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.19 MYR 4.83

45.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$2.17 MYR 8.81

-44.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.16 MYR 4.71

18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.97 MYR 3.92

-3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.48 MYR 1.95

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.13 MYR 16.75

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$19.59 MYR 79.5

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.64 MYR 10.69

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$3.37 MYR 13.66

11.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.68 MYR 2.77

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.77 MYR 47.71

1.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$0.69 MYR 2.82

43.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.47 MYR 1.92

-31.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$6.98 MYR 28.32

33.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 2.00

-4.08%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

-6.55%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

2.94%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$38.49 MYR 156

6.34%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.99 MYR 40.49

-11.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$11.96 MYR 48.51

93.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$36.49 MYR 148

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.85 MYR 23.74

23.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$2.81 MYR 11.40

78.29%

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

$209 MYR 849

$238 MYR 963

-11.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

30.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$55.4 MYR 225

-12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$28.32 MYR 115

20.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$62.0 MYR 251

-13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$52.5 MYR 213

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$380 MYR 1,540

24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$270 MYR 1,093

28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$646 MYR 2,620

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$465 MYR 1,885

16.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$1,964 MYR 7,963

60.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$957 MYR 3,880

-78.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$1,322 MYR 5,359

31.84%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kedah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $380 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 32% 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 $236 vs $273 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 ($909 vs $868 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 32% 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 $380 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $209 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 16% 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.