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 $910 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $762 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,165 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,798 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,568 in Malacca, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 19% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Petaling Jaya and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.57 MYR 14.11

-3.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$18.93 MYR 74.8

-2.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$4.73 MYR 18.69

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.86 MYR 11.28

-2.80%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.80 MYR 3.15

-16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.48 MYR 1.90

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$2.17 MYR 8.58

64.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$3.22 MYR 12.72

60.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.44 MYR 5.70

32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.00 MYR 3.93

-3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.29 MYR 5.08

38.76%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.80 MYR 7.10

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$15.58 MYR 61.5

-31.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$5.03 MYR 19.85

-29.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$11.40 MYR 45.04

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.58 MYR 14.14

-24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.51 MYR 5.96

14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.66 MYR 10.49

-6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.02 MYR 7.98

-37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.46 MYR 5.75

-18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.82 MYR 7.18

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.26 MYR 4.99

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.55 MYR 2.19

14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.32 MYR 17.07

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$14.35 MYR 56.7

40.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.00 MYR 7.90

38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$2.98 MYR 11.78

31.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.48 MYR 1.90

56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.90 MYR 47.00

-1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.42 MYR 5.62

-30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$0.99 MYR 3.92

-64.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$5.91 MYR 23.36

52.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.47 MYR 1.85

6.38%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$34.7K MYR 137.0K

-8.22%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$39.0K MYR 154.2K

-28.15%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$44.96 MYR 178

-10.48%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$8.97 MYR 35.45

1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$31.14 MYR 123

-26.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$16.33 MYR 64.5

128.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$11.70 MYR 46.20

-36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$4.98 MYR 19.67

0.20%

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

$214 MYR 846

$190 MYR 749

12.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$6,904 MYR 27.3K

16.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$65.1 MYR 257

-25.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$18.55 MYR 73.3

82.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$72.5 MYR 286

-24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$40.69 MYR 161

21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$331 MYR 1,306

42.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$185 MYR 733

87.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$705 MYR 2,786

16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$285 MYR 1,124

94.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,216 MYR 4,803

173.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$811 MYR 3,202

-73.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$954 MYR 3,766

84.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.07

10.32%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Malacca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $331 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 84% 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $19.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $255 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $910 in Petaling Jaya, $762 in Malacca – roughly 19% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,365 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,143 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya and $19.00 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 $910 in Petaling Jaya and $762 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $910 in Petaling Jaya and $762 in Malacca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $762 in Malacca to $910 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.