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: $892 in Petaling Jaya versus $931 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,329 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,400 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,767 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,870 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 4% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Lumut, Perak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.50

$3.62 MYR 14.71

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 MYR 77.6

$11.98 MYR 48.70

59.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.78

$4.82 MYR 19.58

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 10.90

$2.78 MYR 11.29

-3.60%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.79 MYR 3.23

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.33 MYR 1.36

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 MYR 14.64

$3.69 MYR 15.02

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.03

$5.99 MYR 24.34

-17.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.60

$2.02 MYR 8.20

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.12

$1.06 MYR 4.31

-4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.27

$1.67 MYR 6.77

7.19%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.97

$2.25 MYR 9.14

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 MYR 43.79

$14.67 MYR 59.6

-26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.75

$4.72 MYR 19.21

-28.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 MYR 33.50

$9.76 MYR 39.68

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.21

$2.98 MYR 12.11

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$1.56 MYR 6.33

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$2.60 MYR 10.58

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$1.52 MYR 6.18

-19.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$1.23 MYR 5.02

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.35 MYR 5.48

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.65

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.37

$0.67 MYR 2.71

-13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.94

$4.22 MYR 17.14

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.95 MYR 81.1

$18.80 MYR 76.4

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.93

$3.35 MYR 13.63

-19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MYR 15.50

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.72 MYR 2.93

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.20

$12.00 MYR 48.79

-1.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.21 MYR 37.42

$4.83 MYR 19.64

90.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-2.00%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.0K

$40.8K MYR 165.7K

-23.97%

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

$27.5K MYR 111.7K

$32.0K MYR 129.9K

-13.97%

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

$40.35 MYR 164

$65.6 MYR 267

-38.45%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.30

$11.50 MYR 46.73

-20.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.28 MYR 94.6

$25.84 MYR 105

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 MYR 148

$36.48 MYR 148

-0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 MYR 29.31

$5.93 MYR 24.12

21.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.82

$5.04 MYR 20.48

-3.17%

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

$215 MYR 874

$267 MYR 1,087

-19.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 MYR 32.9K

$9,247 MYR 37.6K

-12.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 MYR 201

$61.9 MYR 252

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 MYR 140

$37.59 MYR 153

-8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 MYR 218

$85.4 MYR 347

-37.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.61 MYR 198

$80.8 MYR 329

-39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,914

$380 MYR 1,546

23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,409

$269 MYR 1,092

29.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 MYR 3,323

$633 MYR 2,572

29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 MYR 2,238

$473 MYR 1,921

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 MYR 13.0K

$1,797 MYR 7,304

77.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$209 MYR 848

$912 MYR 3,706

-77.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,770 MYR 7,197

$382 MYR 1,555

362.96%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $380 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 363% 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 $268, 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 4% 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 363% 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 $380 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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $931 in Lumut, Perak – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Petaling Jaya versus $931 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 $892 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 4% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.