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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $944 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,529 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,405 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,866 in Kulim, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 13% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 21% lower, Kulim 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 15.16

$3.40 MYR 13.88

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.45 MYR 99.9

$14.93 MYR 61.0

63.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$4.77 MYR 19.49

2.10%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$2.62 MYR 10.71

14.12%

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

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.97 MYR 3.95

-9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$0.35 MYR 1.45

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MYR 13.61

$2.48 MYR 10.15

34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 MYR 23.22

$4.31 MYR 17.59

32.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 MYR 7.90

$2.47 MYR 10.08

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.32 MYR 5.41

-21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.89

$1.76 MYR 7.17

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$2.47 MYR 10.09

-28.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.46

$15.68 MYR 64.1

-38.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 MYR 13.55

$4.87 MYR 19.91

-31.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 38.96

$9.69 MYR 39.58

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$2.41 MYR 9.83

42.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.90

$1.48 MYR 6.06

30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.32

$2.25 MYR 9.20

23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.25 MYR 5.09

46.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.80

$0.94 MYR 3.86

128.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MYR 8.23

$0.85 MYR 3.48

136.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$0.72 MYR 2.95

98.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.68 MYR 2.77

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.67

$4.52 MYR 18.45

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.30 MYR 78.8

$21.34 MYR 87.2

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.08

$2.50 MYR 10.22

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.21

$3.75 MYR 15.31

18.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.78 MYR 3.17

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 MYR 50.7

$12.41 MYR 50.7

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$1.27 MYR 5.17

-1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 MYR 35.66

$6.78 MYR 27.68

28.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.81 MYR 3.30

8.64%

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

$41.1K MYR 167.9K

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

-1.13%

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

$32.6K MYR 133.2K

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

14.25%

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

$48.53 MYR 198

$49.63 MYR 203

-2.22%

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

$8.08 MYR 33.01

$8.34 MYR 34.06

-3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.83 MYR 110

$30.95 MYR 126

-13.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 MYR 211

$40.79 MYR 167

26.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.90

$7.09 MYR 28.97

-55.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.10

$4.70 MYR 19.20

4.68%

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

$279 MYR 1,138

$169 MYR 689

65.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MYR 42.5K

$4,851 MYR 19.8K

114.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MYR 214

$53.4 MYR 218

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 MYR 121

$35.35 MYR 144

-16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MYR 312

$73.8 MYR 302

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 MYR 347

$115 MYR 468

-25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 MYR 1,971

$405 MYR 1,653

19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 MYR 1,651

$306 MYR 1,249

32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 MYR 3,393

$666 MYR 2,723

24.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 MYR 2,261

$480 MYR 1,961

15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,121 MYR 12.7K

$2,008 MYR 8,201

55.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MYR 3,890

$1,071 MYR 4,375

-11.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 MYR 7,123

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.43

1.81%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 4, 2026

Last update for Kulim: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Petaling Jaya versus $405 in Kulim. 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 $24.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $15.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Petaling Jaya vs $270 in Kulim – 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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 13% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,593 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,415 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Petaling Jaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Petaling Jaya and $15.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,062. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $944 versus $1,062 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kulim. 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.