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: $892 in Petaling Jaya versus $897 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,341 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,368 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,838 in Labuan.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 1% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Labuan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$5.15 MYR 20.43

-32.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$23.23 MYR 92.1

-19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$6.52 MYR 25.85

-27.30%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$3.83 MYR 15.18

-29.77%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$1.06 MYR 4.22

-32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.43 MYR 1.70

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$3.61 MYR 14.30

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$4.99 MYR 19.77

1.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.66 MYR 6.59

13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$1.01 MYR 3.99

-6.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.25 MYR 4.95

41.60%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$2.06 MYR 8.16

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$14.75 MYR 58.5

-28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$4.23 MYR 16.79

-19.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$9.67 MYR 38.33

-16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.85 MYR 11.30

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.52 MYR 6.04

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$2.62 MYR 10.38

-4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.37 MYR 5.45

-8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$1.24 MYR 4.93

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.32 MYR 5.25

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$1.03 MYR 4.10

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.56 MYR 2.23

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$4.34 MYR 17.22

0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$18.93 MYR 75.1

8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$2.81 MYR 11.15

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$2.92 MYR 11.57

31.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.69 MYR 2.75

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.90 MYR 47.20

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$1.15 MYR 4.54

-11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$1.04 MYR 4.10

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$5.95 MYR 23.60

57.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-2.00%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

-10.72%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

-11.59%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$43.79 MYR 174

-6.28%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$9.31 MYR 36.93

-4.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$28.94 MYR 115

-21.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$37.15 MYR 147

1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$5.80 MYR 22.99

30.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$4.97 MYR 19.69

-2.41%

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

$213 MYR 844

$190 MYR 753

11.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

17.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$61.9 MYR 245

-22.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$27.83 MYR 110

25.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$73.2 MYR 290

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$50.8 MYR 201

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$386 MYR 1,529

20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$265 MYR 1,053

29.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$656 MYR 2,600

26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$468 MYR 1,854

15.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$1,705 MYR 6,761

88.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$891 MYR 3,532

-76.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$382 MYR 1,514

366.86%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Labuan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Petaling Jaya and $386 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 367% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $23.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $250 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

Petaling Jaya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Petaling Jaya pays 367% more on average, 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: $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $386 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $213 in Petaling Jaya versus $190 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Labuan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Petaling Jaya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Petaling Jaya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Labuan, 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 Petaling Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.