Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Kuala Terengganu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuala Terengganu: $924 a month against $1,037 in Petaling Jaya, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Petaling Jaya
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Petaling Jaya Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Kuala Terengganu
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Kuala Terengganu Living Index

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Petaling Jaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,037

/mo nomad

Kuala Terengganu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Petaling Jaya and in Kuala Terengganu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Petaling Jaya and in Kuala Terengganu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Petaling Jaya versus $924 in Kuala Terengganu.

Petaling Jaya $1,037
Kuala Terengganu $924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,372 in Kuala Terengganu.

Petaling Jaya $1,499
Kuala Terengganu $1,372

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,962 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,821 in Kuala Terengganu.

Petaling Jaya $1,962
Kuala Terengganu $1,821

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 12% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Kuala Terengganu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.62

$2.49 MYR 10.15

43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 MYR 98.8

$23.06 MYR 94.1

5.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 19.40

$4.72 MYR 19.25

0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.21

$2.72 MYR 11.08

9.93%

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

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$0.47 MYR 1.90

97.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$0.28 MYR 1.14

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MYR 13.54

$3.56 MYR 14.52

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MYR 23.01

$4.18 MYR 17.05

34.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.53

$1.70 MYR 6.94

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.02 MYR 4.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.02

$1.28 MYR 5.22

15.62%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.48

$2.13 MYR 8.68

-14.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 MYR 40.53

$15.66 MYR 63.9

-36.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.42

$4.35 MYR 17.73

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 MYR 38.81

$8.41 MYR 34.29

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$3.36 MYR 13.73

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MYR 7.70

$1.61 MYR 6.59

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 11.07

$2.10 MYR 8.59

29.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.50 MYR 6.13

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.79

$1.47 MYR 6.01

46.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 MYR 8.02

$1.09 MYR 4.45

80.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MYR 6.08

$1.00 MYR 4.09

49.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.53 MYR 2.17

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.86

$4.46 MYR 18.18

3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.26 MYR 78.6

$17.84 MYR 72.8

7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MYR 10.69

$2.92 MYR 11.91

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 19.09

$4.82 MYR 19.66

-2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.67 MYR 2.75

79.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 50.3

$10.62 MYR 43.31

16.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.02

$1.27 MYR 5.20

-3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.46 MYR 1.89

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 MYR 35.75

$6.55 MYR 26.73

33.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$0.90 MYR 3.65

-11.11%

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

$41.7K MYR 170.2K

$43.8K MYR 178.8K

-4.80%

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

$32.1K MYR 130.8K

$32.1K MYR 131.0K

-0.14%

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

$49.70 MYR 203

$45.25 MYR 185

9.83%

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

$7.99 MYR 32.61

$8.79 MYR 35.87

-9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$25.10 MYR 102

6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 MYR 214

$44.04 MYR 180

19.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.03 MYR 12.37

$7.97 MYR 32.49

-61.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.12

$4.81 MYR 19.61

2.49%

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

$273 MYR 1,114

$172 MYR 701

58.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.8K

$6,936 MYR 28.3K

51.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 MYR 211

$57.5 MYR 235

-10.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.02 MYR 122

$36.37 MYR 148

-17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 MYR 320

$86.5 MYR 353

-9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 MYR 353

$68.0 MYR 278

27.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 MYR 1,966

$361 MYR 1,472

33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,620

$312 MYR 1,275

27.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 MYR 3,394

$722 MYR 2,946

15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MYR 2,281

$471 MYR 1,923

18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,184 MYR 13.0K

$2,073 MYR 8,456

53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 MYR 3,990

$1,145 MYR 4,669

-14.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,707 MYR 6,964

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.06

11.08%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Petaling Jaya

$397 38.3%

Kuala Terengganu

$312 33.8% 21.3% $85

Groceries & Markets

Petaling Jaya

$249 24.1%

Kuala Terengganu

$254 27.5% 1.9% $4.6

Eating Out

Petaling Jaya

$112 10.8%

Kuala Terengganu

$96 10.4% 14.6% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Petaling Jaya

$111 10.7%

Kuala Terengganu

$112 12.1% 0.7% $0.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Petaling Jaya

$84 8.2%

Kuala Terengganu

$79 8.6% 6.3% $5.3

Sport & Entertainment

Petaling Jaya

$62 6%

Kuala Terengganu

$54 5.8% 14% $8.7

Getting Around

Petaling Jaya

$20 2%

Kuala Terengganu

$17 1.8% 16.7% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Petaling Jaya and $361 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $254, with Petaling Jaya cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Petaling Jaya

🇲🇾 Kuala Terengganu

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

Same time as Petaling Jaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

771,687

375,424

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Petaling Jaya Kuala Terengganu 300 km

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Petaling Jaya
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuala Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,037 vs $924 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,556 in Petaling Jaya and $1,386 in Kuala Terengganu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Petaling Jaya versus $361 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,037 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $924 in Kuala Terengganu – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 16% less than in Petaling Jaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $924 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,037 in Petaling Jaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.