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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $705 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,097 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,490 in Miri.

Living in Petaling Jaya is roughly 29% more expensive than Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Miri 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.21 MYR 12.69

7.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$12.00 MYR 47.40

54.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$4.08 MYR 16.12

12.99%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.64 MYR 10.43

5.30%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.75 MYR 2.95

-10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.34 MYR 1.32

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$2.89 MYR 11.40

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$3.87 MYR 15.28

33.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.36 MYR 5.36

40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.45 MYR 5.71

-33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$0.80 MYR 3.15

123.75%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$3.35 MYR 13.23

-33.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$11.06 MYR 43.68

-3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.77 MYR 18.82

-25.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$11.82 MYR 46.69

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.10 MYR 12.26

-13.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.14 MYR 4.49

51.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.27 MYR 8.96

9.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.44 MYR 5.69

-11.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$0.59 MYR 2.35

101.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$0.93 MYR 3.67

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.96 MYR 3.80

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.36 MYR 1.43

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.10 MYR 16.20

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$19.84 MYR 78.4

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.90 MYR 11.46

-4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$2.35 MYR 9.27

66.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$1.36 MYR 5.38

-44.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$8.73 MYR 34.49

34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$5.93 MYR 23.41

52.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$58.9K MYR 232.5K

-45.92%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$28.2K MYR 111.2K

-0.35%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$30.80 MYR 122

30.68%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.60 MYR 37.93

-5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$32.90 MYR 130

-30.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$28.07 MYR 111

33.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.84 MYR 23.06

28.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$4.18 MYR 16.51

19.38%

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

$214 MYR 846

$100 MYR 396

113.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$5,157 MYR 20.4K

55.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$35.95 MYR 142

35.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$19.09 MYR 75.4

77.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$45.64 MYR 180

20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$31.69 MYR 125

55.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$310 MYR 1,224

52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$167 MYR 658

108.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$494 MYR 1,950

66.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$379 MYR 1,499

46.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,284 MYR 5,070

158.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$703 MYR 2,775

-69.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$744 MYR 2,940

136.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.63

23.69%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Miri: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $310 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 136% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $12.00 in Miri. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $246, 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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Petaling Jaya pays 136% 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 $310 in Miri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $705 in Miri – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Miri gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Miri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Petaling Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Petaling Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.