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 $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $764 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,161 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,558 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

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$3.64 MYR 14.86

-3.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.2

$18.74 MYR 76.5

2.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.52

$4.58 MYR 18.69

4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.34

$3.00 MYR 12.25

-7.33%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.83 MYR 3.41

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.75

$2.09 MYR 8.55

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$3.22 MYR 13.15

53.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.82

$1.44 MYR 5.87

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$0.95 MYR 3.88

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.31

$1.29 MYR 5.28

38.76%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$1.83 MYR 7.46

20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 42.97

$15.41 MYR 62.9

-31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$4.95 MYR 20.23

-31.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.81

$11.54 MYR 47.13

-28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$3.67 MYR 15.00

-27.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.48 MYR 6.03

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.55 MYR 10.43

-0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.03 MYR 8.30

-40.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.53 MYR 6.26

-22.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-20.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.27 MYR 5.19

-24.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.57 MYR 2.31

3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.17

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.3

$13.86 MYR 56.6

43.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.01 MYR 8.22

38.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.20

$2.90 MYR 11.85

36.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.45 MYR 1.86

68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.33

$11.61 MYR 47.42

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-29.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-67.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.45

$5.84 MYR 23.85

61.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$35.7K MYR 145.6K

-12.96%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

$39.0K MYR 159.4K

-27.63%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$46.10 MYR 188

-12.26%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.49

$9.29 MYR 37.95

-1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.4

$30.58 MYR 125

-25.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$16.75 MYR 68.4

122.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 29.99

$11.61 MYR 47.39

-36.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.94

$4.85 MYR 19.80

0.62%

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

$208 MYR 850

$189 MYR 770

10.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$6,912 MYR 28.2K

16.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$64.4 MYR 263

-25.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 141

$18.96 MYR 77.4

82.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$74.3 MYR 304

-27.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$40.62 MYR 166

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,880

$330 MYR 1,349

39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,389

$189 MYR 772

79.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,374

$704 MYR 2,875

17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,196

$280 MYR 1,143

92.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,049 MYR 8,368

52.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 834

$1,151 MYR 4,699

-82.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

$893 MYR 3,646

97.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malacca: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $330 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 98% 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 $253 – 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: $912 in Petaling Jaya, $764 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 $1,367 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,146 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 $912 in Petaling Jaya and $764 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 $912 in Petaling Jaya and $764 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 $764 in Malacca to $912 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.