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 $909 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $981 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,514 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $2,048 in Kulim, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 7% cheaper than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$2.54 MYR 10.30

42.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$23.96 MYR 97.2

-21.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$3.82 MYR 15.51

22.77%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.26 MYR 9.16

19.91%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.74 MYR 2.99

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 MYR 1.47

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$5.27 MYR 21.35

-5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.91 MYR 7.76

0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-15.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.43 MYR 5.81

21.68%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$1.85 MYR 7.49

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$22.18 MYR 89.9

-51.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$4.97 MYR 20.16

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$10.66 MYR 43.21

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$3.84 MYR 15.58

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.70 MYR 6.89

1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$3.41 MYR 13.85

-27.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-52.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-34.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.05 MYR 4.25

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.07 MYR 4.33

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.55 MYR 2.24

14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.15 MYR 16.83

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$17.62 MYR 71.5

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$4.20 MYR 17.03

-34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$5.38 MYR 21.82

-29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.53 MYR 2.16

43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.77 MYR 47.71

1.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.21 MYR 4.89

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.03 MYR 4.16

-68.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$4.39 MYR 17.78

112.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-6.00%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$44.1K MYR 178.9K

-29.06%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

-10.85%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$73.0 MYR 296

-43.92%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.90 MYR 40.15

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$28.12 MYR 114

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$36.80 MYR 149

0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.71 MYR 23.17

26.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$5.61 MYR 22.75

-10.70%

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

$209 MYR 849

$117 MYR 476

78.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

87.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$112 MYR 453

-56.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$27.79 MYR 113

22.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$74.1 MYR 300

-27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$79.0 MYR 320

-38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$383 MYR 1,555

22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$266 MYR 1,078

30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$638 MYR 2,585

28.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$474 MYR 1,923

14.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$2,197 MYR 8,911

43.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$972 MYR 3,943

-78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kulim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $383 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $24.00 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $308 – making Petaling Jaya 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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kulim costs about 8% more than Petaling Jaya, 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 $1,364 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,471 in Kulim. 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Kulim, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya and $24.00 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 Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Kulim at $981. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kulim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $909 versus $981 in Kulim. 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kulim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.