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 $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $909 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,334 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,760 in Kemaman, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 14% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Kemaman 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.75

$2.73 MYR 11.18

31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 101

$14.83 MYR 60.7

65.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.26

$4.33 MYR 17.73

14.32%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$3.13 MYR 12.82

-4.79%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.48 MYR 1.96

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.39 MYR 1.58

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$3.42 MYR 13.98

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.09

$5.79 MYR 23.71

1.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.29

$1.05 MYR 4.28

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.00 MYR 4.09

51.00%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.27

$1.15 MYR 4.70

54.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.31

$10.11 MYR 41.39

-2.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.76

$3.23 MYR 13.21

4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.13

$9.43 MYR 38.61

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$3.57 MYR 14.59

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.91 MYR 7.82

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-3.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.77 MYR 7.26

2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$2.15 MYR 8.82

-3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.14

$2.02 MYR 8.28

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.44 MYR 5.88

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.51 MYR 2.08

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.25

$4.44 MYR 18.15

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$18.95 MYR 77.6

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$2.68 MYR 10.99

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.49

$4.61 MYR 18.86

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$0.71 MYR 2.90

77.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.8

$11.71 MYR 47.94

6.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.22 MYR 4.98

3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.36 MYR 1.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.46

$9.25 MYR 37.85

-1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.49 MYR 2.00

61.22%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

-1.34%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

-1.53%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$49.20 MYR 201

0.93%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.92

$8.44 MYR 34.55

-4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 113

$26.89 MYR 110

2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$35.26 MYR 144

47.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.53

$7.08 MYR 29.00

-56.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$4.84 MYR 19.82

-1.03%

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

$282 MYR 1,155

$123 MYR 503

129.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

-0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$51.2 MYR 209

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 124

$30.30 MYR 124

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 323

$79.2 MYR 324

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$86.5 MYR 354

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,969

$402 MYR 1,645

19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,640

$335 MYR 1,372

19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,523

$671 MYR 2,746

28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,315

$535 MYR 2,189

5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$2,067 MYR 8,461

55.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,990

$1,025 MYR 4,194

-4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $402 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $15.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $245 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Petaling Jaya is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,553 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,363 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya and $15.00 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 $1,036 in Petaling Jaya and $909 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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