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: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya versus $944 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,399 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,853 in Kedah.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Kedah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.75

$3.51 MYR 14.38

2.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 101

$12.36 MYR 50.6

98.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.26

$5.03 MYR 20.58

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$2.66 MYR 10.91

12.03%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.91 MYR 3.74

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.33 MYR 1.34

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$2.41 MYR 9.87

35.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.09

$4.29 MYR 17.56

37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-23.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.29

$1.36 MYR 5.57

-22.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.76 MYR 7.20

-14.20%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.27

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.31

$15.65 MYR 64.0

-37.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.76

$4.90 MYR 20.07

-31.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.13

$9.56 MYR 39.14

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$2.36 MYR 9.65

46.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.45 MYR 5.92

32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.28 MYR 9.32

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.25 MYR 5.13

45.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$0.91 MYR 3.74

128.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.14

$0.79 MYR 3.23

151.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$0.77 MYR 3.17

94.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.65 MYR 2.66

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.25

$4.66 MYR 19.08

-4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$21.25 MYR 87.0

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$2.49 MYR 10.18

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.49

$3.63 MYR 14.85

24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$0.74 MYR 3.04

70.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.8

$11.77 MYR 48.18

5.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.22 MYR 4.99

3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.46

$6.64 MYR 27.19

37.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.60 MYR 2.45

31.67%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

-0.53%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

12.83%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$50.7 MYR 207

-1.95%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.92

$7.98 MYR 32.64

0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 113

$32.15 MYR 132

-14.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$39.87 MYR 163

30.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.53

$5.78 MYR 23.67

-47.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$4.81 MYR 19.69

-0.42%

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

$282 MYR 1,155

$171 MYR 698

65.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

110.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$54.5 MYR 223

-6.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 124

$35.20 MYR 144

-14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 323

$72.3 MYR 296

9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$69.5 MYR 284

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,969

$416 MYR 1,701

15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,640

$320 MYR 1,311

25.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,523

$693 MYR 2,837

24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,315

$451 MYR 1,847

25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$1,745 MYR 7,141

84.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,990

$1,006 MYR 4,117

-3.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

$1,329 MYR 5,440

28.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.43

1.81%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Petaling Jaya and $416 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 29% 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: $25.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $12.00 in Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $269, 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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Kedah differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,036 vs $944 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $416 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Petaling Jaya versus $171 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 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $944 in Kedah versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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 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 10% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.