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: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,023 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,498 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,972 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 1% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Lumut, Perak 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.75

$3.73 MYR 15.26

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 101

$12.38 MYR 50.7

98.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.26

$5.04 MYR 20.64

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$2.95 MYR 12.06

1.02%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.86 MYR 3.53

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.36 MYR 1.46

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$3.77 MYR 15.44

-13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.09

$6.29 MYR 25.73

-6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$2.13 MYR 8.70

-12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.29

$1.06 MYR 4.34

-0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$2.03 MYR 8.32

-25.62%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.27

$2.46 MYR 10.09

-27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.31

$15.39 MYR 63.0

-36.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.76

$4.91 MYR 20.09

-31.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.13

$9.83 MYR 40.22

-2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$3.50 MYR 14.33

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.90 MYR 7.79

1.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.37 MYR 9.69

13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.59 MYR 6.51

14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$1.32 MYR 5.42

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.14

$1.42 MYR 5.83

40.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.20 MYR 4.91

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.70 MYR 2.85

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.25

$4.30 MYR 17.61

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$18.94 MYR 77.5

2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$3.54 MYR 14.47

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.49

$4.93 MYR 20.16

-8.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$0.71 MYR 2.92

77.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.8

$12.94 MYR 53.0

-4.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.21 MYR 4.93

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.48 MYR 1.97

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.46

$4.99 MYR 20.41

83.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.75 MYR 3.08

5.33%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

$41.9K MYR 171.4K

-0.69%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-7.75%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$65.0 MYR 266

-23.64%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.92

$9.05 MYR 37.02

-11.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 113

$26.38 MYR 108

4.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$37.91 MYR 155

36.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.53

$6.65 MYR 27.22

-53.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$5.46 MYR 22.35

-12.27%

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

$282 MYR 1,155

$298 MYR 1,221

-5.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

$4,907 MYR 20.1K

114.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$71.8 MYR 294

-29.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 124

$42.71 MYR 175

-29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 323

$88.6 MYR 363

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$99.1 MYR 406

-14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,969

$423 MYR 1,732

13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,640

$315 MYR 1,289

27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,523

$689 MYR 2,818

24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,315

$495 MYR 2,026

14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$2,117 MYR 8,666

51.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,990

$958 MYR 3,922

1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

$380 MYR 1,554

350.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.2

7.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Petaling Jaya and $423 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 350% 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: $25.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $282, 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

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Petaling Jaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 350% 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: $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $423 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $1,023 in Lumut, Perak – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Petaling Jaya. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak 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.