Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Malacca Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Malacca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $595 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $952 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,308 in Malacca, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 74% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Petaling Jaya and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Malacca 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.75

$3.26 MYR 13.33

10.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 101

$21.58 MYR 88.3

13.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.26

$5.00 MYR 20.45

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.21

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

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.79 MYR 3.24

16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.33

$1.93 MYR 7.91

68.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.09

$3.03 MYR 12.39

94.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.70 MYR 6.96

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.29

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.45 MYR 5.94

4.14%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.27

$1.66 MYR 6.78

7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.31

$18.34 MYR 75.1

-46.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.76

$4.49 MYR 18.38

-25.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.13

$10.89 MYR 44.56

-12.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$3.40 MYR 13.93

1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.75 MYR 7.16

9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.49 MYR 10.19

7.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.63 MYR 6.68

11.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$1.41 MYR 5.79

47.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.14

$1.72 MYR 7.03

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.32 MYR 5.40

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.55 MYR 2.27

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.25

$4.35 MYR 17.81

2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$14.05 MYR 57.5

37.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$2.19 MYR 8.96

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.49

$3.09 MYR 12.65

46.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$0.51 MYR 2.08

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.8

$12.41 MYR 50.8

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.49 MYR 6.08

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.71 MYR 2.92

-49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.46

$12.24 MYR 50.1

-25.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.48 MYR 1.96

64.58%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.2K

$41.2K MYR 168.8K

0.83%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.8K

$36.2K MYR 148.1K

-10.30%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$53.5 MYR 219

-7.18%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.92

$11.00 MYR 45.03

-26.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 113

$29.25 MYR 120

-6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$22.55 MYR 92.3

129.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.53

$11.60 MYR 47.49

-73.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$5.02 MYR 20.53

-4.58%

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

$282 MYR 1,155

$166 MYR 679

70.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

$4,526 MYR 18.5K

132.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$66.0 MYR 270

-22.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 124

$16.61 MYR 68.0

81.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 323

$80.6 MYR 330

-2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$40.95 MYR 168

106.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,969

$196 MYR 802

145.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,640

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,523

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,315

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$1,188 MYR 4,862

170.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,990

$796 MYR 3,257

22.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,996

$422 MYR 1,728

304.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.06

11.08%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Malacca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $196 in Malacca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 305% higher in Petaling Jaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $22.00 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $261 in Malacca – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,036 in Petaling Jaya, $595 in Malacca – roughly 74% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,553 per month in Petaling Jaya and $892 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Petaling Jaya and $22.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,036 in Petaling Jaya and $595 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Malacca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $595 in Malacca to $1,036 in Petaling Jaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.