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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $998 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,503 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Petaling Jaya versus $2,008 in Muar.

Living in Petaling Jaya costs roughly 9% less than in Muar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Muar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$2.63 MYR 10.41

30.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$23.17 MYR 91.5

-20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$3.36 MYR 13.26

37.20%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.33 MYR 9.19

19.31%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.78 MYR 3.09

-14.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.34 MYR 1.34

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$4.16 MYR 16.44

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$5.51 MYR 21.78

-6.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.91 MYR 7.53

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$1.13 MYR 4.45

-14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.42 MYR 5.60

26.06%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$1.90 MYR 7.52

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$22.60 MYR 89.3

-52.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$4.86 MYR 19.20

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$10.44 MYR 41.24

-21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$3.90 MYR 15.40

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.71 MYR 6.74

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-24.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$2.53 MYR 10.00

-49.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.70 MYR 6.73

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.04 MYR 4.10

28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.56 MYR 2.19

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.21 MYR 16.64

1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$18.68 MYR 73.8

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$4.26 MYR 16.82

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$5.66 MYR 22.34

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.68 MYR 2.69

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$12.00 MYR 47.40

-2.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.17 MYR 4.62

-16.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.14 MYR 4.51

-69.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$4.33 MYR 17.09

108.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.46 MYR 1.83

8.70%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$42.9K MYR 169.3K

-25.75%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

-9.75%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$74.5 MYR 294

-45.94%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$9.46 MYR 37.37

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$28.28 MYR 112

-18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.60 MYR 145

2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.80 MYR 22.90

28.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.68 MYR 22.42

-12.15%

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

$214 MYR 846

$118 MYR 464

82.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$4,393 MYR 17.4K

83.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$111 MYR 440

-56.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$27.19 MYR 107

24.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$75.7 MYR 299

-27.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$78.5 MYR 310

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$380 MYR 1,500

23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$265 MYR 1,047

30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$657 MYR 2,595

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$480 MYR 1,897

15.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,635 MYR 6,460

103.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$903 MYR 3,569

-76.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$645 MYR 2,548

172.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.96

13.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Muar: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $380 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 172% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Petaling Jaya vs $23.00 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $311 per month, with Petaling Jaya cheaper across the board.

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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya and Muar differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($910 vs $998 including rent). Petaling Jaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 172% 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 $380 in Muar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Petaling Jaya runs roughly 3% less than in Muar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $214 in Petaling Jaya versus $118 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $910 in Petaling Jaya versus $998 in Muar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Petaling Jaya but tight or insufficient in Muar. The gap between the two cities makes Petaling Jaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Petaling Jaya and Muar 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 Petaling Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Muar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.