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: $912 in Petaling Jaya versus $932 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,398 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,758 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,864 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 2% 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

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$3.62 MYR 14.79

-3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$11.83 MYR 48.30

61.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$4.66 MYR 19.03

2.58%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$2.85 MYR 11.63

-2.46%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.80 MYR 3.25

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.37 MYR 1.49

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$3.74 MYR 15.28

-3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$5.75 MYR 23.47

-14.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$2.09 MYR 8.53

-8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-10.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.67 MYR 6.80

7.19%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.27 MYR 9.26

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$14.55 MYR 59.4

-27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$4.74 MYR 19.35

-28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$9.95 MYR 40.61

-16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.93 MYR 11.98

-9.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.58 MYR 6.46

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.73 MYR 11.16

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.48 MYR 6.03

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.28 MYR 5.23

-7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.34 MYR 5.46

3.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.16 MYR 4.74

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.63 MYR 2.56

-6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.16 MYR 16.99

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$18.49 MYR 75.5

7.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$3.24 MYR 13.24

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$4.28 MYR 17.48

-7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.73 MYR 2.98

4.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$11.86 MYR 48.44

-2.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-69.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$4.77 MYR 19.48

97.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-9.80%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$40.4K MYR 165.1K

-23.28%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$32.3K MYR 131.9K

-12.55%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$63.5 MYR 259

-36.33%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$11.62 MYR 47.43

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$26.09 MYR 107

-13.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$37.53 MYR 153

-0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$5.88 MYR 24.01

25.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$5.21 MYR 21.27

-6.33%

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

$208 MYR 850

$270 MYR 1,103

-22.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$9,393 MYR 38.4K

-14.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$60.8 MYR 248

-20.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$37.81 MYR 154

-8.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$86.8 MYR 354

-37.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$79.0 MYR 323

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$381 MYR 1,555

20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$272 MYR 1,109

25.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$633 MYR 2,584

30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$477 MYR 1,947

12.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,067 MYR 8,439

50.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,245 MYR 5,083

-83.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

$375 MYR 1,530

370.62%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Petaling Jaya and $381 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 371% 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 $236 vs $267, 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 2% 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.

Average pay runs 371% 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: $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $381 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 $912 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $932 in Lumut, Perak – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Petaling Jaya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $912 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 2% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.