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 $910 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $954 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,407 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,798 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,860 in Kemaman, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 5% 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 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$2.62 MYR 10.35

31.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$14.31 MYR 56.5

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$3.83 MYR 15.14

20.37%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.31 MYR 9.12

20.35%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.49 MYR 1.92

36.73%

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

$4.17 MYR 16.49

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$5.32 MYR 21.01

-2.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.91 MYR 7.53

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.01 MYR 4.00

-3.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$0.98 MYR 3.86

82.65%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.11 MYR 4.38

101.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$14.41 MYR 56.9

-25.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$3.70 MYR 14.60

-3.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$9.41 MYR 37.17

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.86 MYR 15.23

-30.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.71 MYR 6.74

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$3.42 MYR 13.50

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.55 MYR 10.09

-50.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-32.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.03 MYR 4.07

30.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.13 MYR 4.45

-20.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.46 MYR 1.81

36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$20.31 MYR 80.2

-0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$4.22 MYR 16.68

-34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$5.39 MYR 21.29

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.70 MYR 2.76

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.56 MYR 45.68

1.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.21 MYR 4.77

-19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.11 MYR 4.37

-68.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.24 MYR 16.76

112.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.50 MYR 1.96

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

-27.26%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

-11.42%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$73.1 MYR 289

-44.91%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.97 MYR 39.38

-8.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$28.42 MYR 112

-19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$37.18 MYR 147

0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$6.03 MYR 23.83

24.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.61 MYR 22.16

-11.05%

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

$214 MYR 846

$116 MYR 456

85.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

82.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$111 MYR 438

-56.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$27.36 MYR 108

23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$74.2 MYR 293

-25.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$79.6 MYR 314

-37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$393 MYR 1,551

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$272 MYR 1,073

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$654 MYR 2,583

25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$471 MYR 1,861

17.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,799 MYR 7,107

84.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$881 MYR 3,481

-76.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $393 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 – $239 in Petaling Jaya vs $273 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 5%, 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 $1,365 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,431 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 $910 in Petaling Jaya and $954 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Kemaman at $954. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.