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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $965 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,413 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,861 in Kemaman, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 6% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Kemaman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$2.61 MYR 10.64

34.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$14.15 MYR 57.8

35.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.53

$3.67 MYR 15.00

30.25%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.33 MYR 9.51

19.31%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.46 MYR 1.86

56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.34 MYR 1.39

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$4.32 MYR 17.64

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$5.46 MYR 22.29

-9.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.82 MYR 7.44

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$0.97 MYR 3.98

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$0.91 MYR 3.73

96.70%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$1.15 MYR 4.71

91.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$13.96 MYR 57.0

-24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.92

$3.75 MYR 15.33

-9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$9.68 MYR 39.53

-14.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$4.01 MYR 16.37

-33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-5.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$3.35 MYR 13.67

-24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.61 MYR 10.66

-54.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.75 MYR 7.13

-32.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$0.99 MYR 4.06

40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.46 MYR 1.87

28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.14 MYR 16.90

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$19.53 MYR 79.8

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$5.48 MYR 22.38

-27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.69 MYR 2.83

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.34

$11.61 MYR 47.40

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-69.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$4.35 MYR 17.75

116.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.46 MYR 1.88

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

-27.71%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

-10.53%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$73.8 MYR 301

-45.20%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.71 MYR 39.65

-5.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.5

$28.92 MYR 118

-21.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$36.88 MYR 151

1.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$5.82 MYR 23.78

26.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$5.51 MYR 22.48

-11.43%

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

$208 MYR 850

$120 MYR 490

73.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

86.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$108 MYR 440

-55.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$27.82 MYR 114

24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$74.5 MYR 304

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$78.9 MYR 322

-37.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$380 MYR 1,553

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$264 MYR 1,080

28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,375

$651 MYR 2,658

26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$470 MYR 1,918

14.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,013 MYR 8,220

54.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,152 MYR 4,705

-82.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,203

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.96

13.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $380 in Kemaman. 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 $14.00 in Kemaman. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $272 in Kemaman – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,367 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,448 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, 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 $14.00 in Kemaman. 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 $965 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Petaling Jaya and $965 in Kemaman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Petaling Jaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.