Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Lumut, Perak Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Lumut, Perak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $935 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,414 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,894 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 3% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Lumut, Perak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$11.90 MYR 47.02

55.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$4.79 MYR 18.91

-3.76%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.77 MYR 10.94

0.36%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.84 MYR 3.34

-20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$3.67 MYR 14.49

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$5.79 MYR 22.88

-10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.98 MYR 7.81

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.05 MYR 4.13

-7.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.67 MYR 6.59

7.19%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$2.16 MYR 8.54

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$14.34 MYR 56.7

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.56 MYR 17.99

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$9.73 MYR 38.44

-15.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.63 MYR 6.43

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.72 MYR 10.76

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.50 MYR 5.93

-15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.23 MYR 4.84

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.38 MYR 5.46

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.17 MYR 4.64

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.66 MYR 2.62

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.18 MYR 16.52

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$18.72 MYR 73.9

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$3.22 MYR 12.71

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$4.42 MYR 17.45

-11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.74 MYR 2.92

1.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.95 MYR 47.21

-2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.16 MYR 4.60

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.14 MYR 4.50

-69.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.78 MYR 18.86

88.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.51 MYR 2.03

-1.96%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

-19.49%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

-12.51%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$63.3 MYR 250

-36.36%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$11.35 MYR 44.82

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$25.66 MYR 101

-10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.52 MYR 144

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.97 MYR 23.57

25.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.24 MYR 20.71

-4.77%

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

$214 MYR 846

$269 MYR 1,061

-20.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

-15.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$61.5 MYR 243

-20.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$37.26 MYR 147

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$86.2 MYR 340

-36.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$81.2 MYR 321

-39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$394 MYR 1,556

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$268 MYR 1,060

29.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$635 MYR 2,510

29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$462 MYR 1,827

19.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,902 MYR 7,515

74.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$931 MYR 3,679

-77.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$394 MYR 1,556

345.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.47

0.45%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 346% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $265, with Petaling Jaya cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Lumut, Perak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Petaling Jaya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Petaling Jaya pays 346% 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: $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Petaling Jaya – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $935 in Lumut, Perak – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $935 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Petaling Jaya but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. The gap between the two cities makes Petaling Jaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Petaling Jaya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $910 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Petaling Jaya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Lumut, Perak 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 3% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.