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: $912 in Petaling Jaya versus $863 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,326 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,758 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,790 in Kedah.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 6% more expensive than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$2.98 MYR 12.17

17.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$21.22 MYR 86.7

-9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.53

$4.13 MYR 16.85

15.74%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.83 MYR 11.55

-1.77%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.68 MYR 2.77

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.34 MYR 1.38

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$4.44 MYR 18.12

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$4.51 MYR 18.42

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.87 MYR 7.65

2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$0.95 MYR 3.90

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.20 MYR 4.92

49.17%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.12 MYR 8.66

3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$15.11 MYR 61.7

-30.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.92

$5.18 MYR 21.15

-34.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$14.66 MYR 59.9

-43.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.91 MYR 11.90

-8.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.19 MYR 4.88

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.69 MYR 11.00

-5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.09 MYR 8.55

-42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.13 MYR 4.61

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.18 MYR 4.81

17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.95 MYR 3.88

1.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.45 MYR 1.83

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.23 MYR 17.26

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$21.23 MYR 86.7

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.64 MYR 10.77

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$3.41 MYR 13.94

16.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.68 MYR 2.78

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.34

$11.81 MYR 48.24

-1.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.72 MYR 2.95

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$6.89 MYR 28.15

36.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

-7.89%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

1.18%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$39.27 MYR 160

3.00%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$10.03 MYR 40.95

-8.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.5

$11.86 MYR 48.45

90.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$36.69 MYR 150

1.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$5.81 MYR 23.71

26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$2.80 MYR 11.44

74.29%

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

$208 MYR 850

$235 MYR 961

-11.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

28.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$55.4 MYR 226

-13.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$29.00 MYR 118

19.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$62.2 MYR 254

-13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$52.2 MYR 213

-5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$386 MYR 1,575

19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$265 MYR 1,084

28.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,375

$632 MYR 2,580

30.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$465 MYR 1,899

15.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,134 MYR 8,714

46.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,171 MYR 4,781

-82.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,203

$1,310 MYR 5,350

34.64%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kedah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Petaling Jaya and $386 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 35% 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 $277 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 6% in total monthly costs ($912 vs $863 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $386 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $208 in Petaling Jaya versus $235 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 17% 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 6% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.