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 $910 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $994 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,512 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,798 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $2,030 in Kulim, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 8% 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 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$2.55 MYR 10.07

34.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$23.76 MYR 93.8

-22.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$3.72 MYR 14.69

23.92%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.32 MYR 9.15

19.83%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.71 MYR 2.82

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$4.29 MYR 16.96

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$5.36 MYR 21.17

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.08 MYR 4.27

-10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.45 MYR 5.71

23.45%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.86 MYR 7.33

20.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$22.00 MYR 86.9

-51.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.76 MYR 18.80

-25.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$10.69 MYR 42.22

-23.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.87 MYR 15.29

-30.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.71 MYR 6.75

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-24.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.60 MYR 10.29

-51.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.70 MYR 6.70

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.00 MYR 3.95

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.07 MYR 4.24

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.51 MYR 2.00

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.31 MYR 17.02

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$19.54 MYR 77.2

3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$5.65 MYR 22.30

-30.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.53 MYR 2.11

41.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.60 MYR 45.82

0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.16 MYR 4.57

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-65.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.23 MYR 16.72

113.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.46 MYR 1.81

8.70%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$44.4K MYR 175.5K

-28.37%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$31.2K MYR 123.1K

-9.94%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$75.8 MYR 300

-46.92%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.90 MYR 39.11

-8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$28.80 MYR 114

-20.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.95 MYR 146

1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.73 MYR 22.62

30.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.60 MYR 22.13

-10.89%

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

$214 MYR 846

$116 MYR 460

84.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,314 MYR 17.0K

86.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$108 MYR 427

-54.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$27.71 MYR 109

22.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$74.5 MYR 294

-26.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$79.2 MYR 313

-37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$391 MYR 1,543

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$266 MYR 1,052

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$640 MYR 2,528

28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$477 MYR 1,884

16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,943 MYR 7,676

70.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$997 MYR 3,939

-78.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kulim: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $391 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: $239 vs $310 – 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 9% 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 $1,365 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,491 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 $910, than in Kulim at $994. 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 $910 versus $994 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.