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: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $703 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,113 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,524 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.12 MYR 12.66

16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$11.82 MYR 47.94

59.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$3.90 MYR 15.82

20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.69 MYR 10.90

0.74%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 MYR 1.48

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$2.90 MYR 11.75

21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$3.84 MYR 15.57

29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.36 MYR 5.50

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.40 MYR 5.68

-32.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$0.85 MYR 3.44

104.71%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$3.41 MYR 13.83

-36.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$10.76 MYR 43.65

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$4.64 MYR 18.81

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$11.70 MYR 47.45

-32.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$3.05 MYR 12.38

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.19 MYR 4.84

45.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.28 MYR 9.26

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.38 MYR 5.60

-12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.55 MYR 2.25

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$0.90 MYR 3.64

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.91 MYR 3.69

3.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.36 MYR 1.48

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.25 MYR 17.23

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$20.08 MYR 81.4

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.91 MYR 11.79

-5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$2.33 MYR 9.46

61.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.36 MYR 5.51

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$8.64 MYR 35.03

38.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$5.98 MYR 24.25

56.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.47 MYR 1.89

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$58.7K MYR 238.1K

-46.72%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$27.8K MYR 112.9K

1.13%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$30.31 MYR 123

35.04%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.63 MYR 39.06

-7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$32.41 MYR 131

-28.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$28.31 MYR 115

30.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$6.06 MYR 24.57

19.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$4.19 MYR 16.99

19.57%

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

$209 MYR 849

$97.3 MYR 395

115.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$5,106 MYR 20.7K

59.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$35.16 MYR 143

37.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$19.21 MYR 77.9

76.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$44.81 MYR 182

20.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$32.13 MYR 130

51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$318 MYR 1,289

48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$164 MYR 664

111.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$493 MYR 2,000

65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$378 MYR 1,532

43.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$1,243 MYR 5,042

153.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$692 MYR 2,807

-69.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$751 MYR 3,045

132.07%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Miri: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $318 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 132% 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 $236 vs $245, 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 132% 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 $318 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 $909 per month in Petaling Jaya versus $703 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.