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 $909 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $753 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,157 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,562 in Malacca, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 21% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.61 MYR 14.63

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$18.57 MYR 75.3

1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.59 MYR 18.62

2.18%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.89 MYR 11.72

-6.23%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.79 MYR 3.19

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.49 MYR 1.98

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$2.14 MYR 8.66

64.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$3.12 MYR 12.67

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.48 MYR 6.01

29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$0.98 MYR 3.99

-3.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.23 MYR 5.00

41.46%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$1.81 MYR 7.35

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$15.36 MYR 62.3

-29.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$4.99 MYR 20.23

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$11.48 MYR 46.57

-30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$3.74 MYR 15.16

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.48 MYR 5.98

16.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.65 MYR 10.74

-6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-40.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.53 MYR 6.22

-24.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-20.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.28 MYR 5.17

-26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.56 MYR 2.27

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.15 MYR 16.82

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$14.09 MYR 57.2

38.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$1.99 MYR 8.08

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$2.92 MYR 11.85

29.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.45 MYR 1.84

68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.84 MYR 48.02

1.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.39 MYR 5.64

-28.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.99 MYR 4.01

-67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$5.88 MYR 23.84

59.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 2.00

-4.08%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

-12.77%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

-26.24%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$44.85 MYR 182

-8.74%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.25 MYR 37.53

-4.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$30.20 MYR 122

-23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$16.76 MYR 68.0

119.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$11.71 MYR 47.48

-38.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.90 MYR 19.86

2.24%

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

$209 MYR 849

$188 MYR 762

11.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$65.5 MYR 266

-25.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$19.13 MYR 77.6

77.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$71.8 MYR 291

-24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$40.10 MYR 163

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$334 MYR 1,355

41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$189 MYR 768

83.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$706 MYR 2,862

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$281 MYR 1,139

93.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$1,956 MYR 7,932

61.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$991 MYR 4,017

-78.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$934 MYR 3,788

86.53%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $334 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 87% 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: $236 vs $254 – 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: $909 in Petaling Jaya, $753 in Malacca – roughly 21% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,364 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,129 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 $909 in Petaling Jaya and $753 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 $909 in Petaling Jaya and $753 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 $753 in Malacca to $909 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.