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 $1,032 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $975 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,497 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,403 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,830 in Kulim, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 25% lower, Kulim 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.11

$3.54 MYR 14.32

5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.73 MYR 99.9

$15.55 MYR 62.8

59.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.35

$4.85 MYR 19.58

3.92%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MYR 12.31

$2.65 MYR 10.72

15.09%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.49

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.69

$0.35 MYR 1.43

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 MYR 13.36

$2.43 MYR 9.81

36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 MYR 23.55

$4.31 MYR 17.43

35.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$2.35 MYR 9.49

-20.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$1.33 MYR 5.36

-22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.87

$1.75 MYR 7.08

-17.14%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.20

$2.60 MYR 10.49

-31.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.17

$15.30 MYR 61.8

-36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.37

$4.88 MYR 19.70

-32.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.03

$9.79 MYR 39.56

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.89

$2.41 MYR 9.74

11.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.78

$1.51 MYR 6.08

27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.20

$2.34 MYR 9.44

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.43

$1.26 MYR 5.09

46.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.44

$0.94 MYR 3.79

122.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.00

$0.84 MYR 3.38

135.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MYR 5.79

$0.78 MYR 3.13

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.64 MYR 2.59

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 MYR 18.40

$4.60 MYR 18.60

-0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.09 MYR 81.2

$21.87 MYR 88.4

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.41

$2.42 MYR 9.76

16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.06

$3.63 MYR 14.65

16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.85

$0.75 MYR 3.04

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.2

$13.76 MYR 55.6

-9.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$1.20 MYR 4.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 MYR 38.27

$6.75 MYR 27.28

40.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.18

$0.75 MYR 3.04

5.33%

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

$41.3K MYR 166.9K

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

-1.45%

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

$33.4K MYR 134.8K

$28.0K MYR 113.1K

19.18%

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

$39.91 MYR 161

$51.2 MYR 207

-22.05%

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

$8.11 MYR 32.76

$8.12 MYR 32.80

-0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 MYR 110

$31.26 MYR 126

-12.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.88 MYR 193

$35.58 MYR 144

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 MYR 12.75

$6.59 MYR 26.63

-52.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$4.76 MYR 19.21

1.68%

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

$280 MYR 1,132

$175 MYR 708

59.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$5,017 MYR 20.3K

113.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 210

$55.2 MYR 223

-5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 MYR 121

$35.49 MYR 143

-15.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 309

$73.0 MYR 295

4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 MYR 342

$71.3 MYR 288

18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,012

$376 MYR 1,519

32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,604

$317 MYR 1,280

25.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 MYR 3,251

$700 MYR 2,828

14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,299

$484 MYR 1,957

17.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 MYR 12.8K

$1,947 MYR 7,866

63.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$213 MYR 861

$1,026 MYR 4,145

-79.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 MYR 7,056

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: August 16, 2026

Last update for Kulim: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Petaling Jaya versus $376 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $16.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Petaling Jaya vs $269 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 6% 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 $1,548 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,463 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 9% 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya and $16.00 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 $975, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,032. 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 $975 versus $1,032 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.