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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $920 in Petaling Jaya versus $913 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,341 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,403 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,762 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,893 in Labuan.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 1% more expensive than in Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$5.41 MYR 22.13

-33.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$23.81 MYR 97.4

-20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$6.55 MYR 26.77

-29.47%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$3.72 MYR 15.21

-25.00%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$1.06 MYR 4.35

-34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$3.51 MYR 14.35

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$4.98 MYR 20.39

2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.67 MYR 6.84

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.01 MYR 4.13

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.28 MYR 5.24

33.59%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$2.11 MYR 8.64

2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$14.92 MYR 61.0

-28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$4.42 MYR 18.08

-20.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$9.66 MYR 39.51

-16.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$3.00 MYR 12.25

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.53 MYR 6.25

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$2.59 MYR 10.61

-2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.38 MYR 5.64

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-1.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.28 MYR 5.23

8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$1.03 MYR 4.23

-14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.51 MYR 2.11

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.29 MYR 17.53

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$16.63 MYR 68.0

18.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.85 MYR 11.68

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$3.00 MYR 12.28

31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.70 MYR 2.85

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.76 MYR 48.10

-1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.15 MYR 4.72

-11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$1.04 MYR 4.25

-66.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$6.05 MYR 24.76

54.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-8.06%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

-13.16%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$44.09 MYR 180

-8.51%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$8.95 MYR 36.59

1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$28.98 MYR 119

-21.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$36.71 MYR 150

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$5.80 MYR 23.70

26.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$4.91 MYR 20.09

-2.04%

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

$210 MYR 857

$191 MYR 782

9.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

18.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$59.8 MYR 245

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$27.52 MYR 113

23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$72.8 MYR 298

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$51.6 MYR 211

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$381 MYR 1,558

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$272 MYR 1,113

26.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$641 MYR 2,622

27.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$469 MYR 1,916

14.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$1,970 MYR 8,058

62.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,287 MYR 5,265

-83.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$371 MYR 1,516

362.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.07

10.32%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Labuan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $456 in Petaling Jaya and $381 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 362% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $24.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $248 per month, with Petaling Jaya cheaper across the board.

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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 362% higher in Petaling Jaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $381 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $210 in Petaling Jaya versus $191 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Petaling Jaya pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Labuan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Labuan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Petaling Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.