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: $909 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,002 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Petaling Jaya versus $1,503 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Petaling Jaya versus $2,003 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

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$2.62 MYR 10.62

38.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$23.12 MYR 93.8

-18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$3.32 MYR 13.46

41.27%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.35 MYR 9.52

15.32%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.74 MYR 3.00

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.34 MYR 1.36

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$4.36 MYR 17.69

-19.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$5.33 MYR 21.63

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.88 MYR 7.62

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.12 MYR 4.55

-15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.42 MYR 5.78

22.54%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$1.91 MYR 7.74

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$22.25 MYR 90.2

-51.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$4.85 MYR 19.66

-26.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$10.66 MYR 43.22

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$4.03 MYR 16.36

-31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.77 MYR 7.18

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$3.28 MYR 13.30

-24.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-53.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.75 MYR 7.09

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.05 MYR 4.24

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.07 MYR 4.33

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.52 MYR 2.09

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.19 MYR 16.97

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$19.28 MYR 78.2

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$4.45 MYR 18.04

-38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$5.49 MYR 22.26

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.69 MYR 2.80

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.70 MYR 47.44

2.31%

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

$1.09 MYR 4.43

-70.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$4.35 MYR 17.66

114.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-4.08%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$43.2K MYR 175.1K

-27.55%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$31.4K MYR 127.2K

-10.21%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$74.7 MYR 303

-45.21%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$9.76 MYR 39.58

-9.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$28.76 MYR 117

-19.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$36.20 MYR 147

1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.85 MYR 23.72

23.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$5.80 MYR 23.51

-13.62%

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

$209 MYR 849

$116 MYR 469

80.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$4,312 MYR 17.5K

88.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$110 MYR 444

-55.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$27.84 MYR 113

22.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$74.4 MYR 302

-27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$79.1 MYR 321

-38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$391 MYR 1,586

20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$266 MYR 1,079

30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$638 MYR 2,586

28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$480 MYR 1,947

12.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$2,160 MYR 8,758

46.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$824 MYR 3,340

-74.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$632 MYR 2,564

175.60%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Muar: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Petaling Jaya and $391 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Petaling Jaya pays 176% 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 $236 vs $313 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 ($909 vs $1,002 including rent). Petaling Jaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Petaling Jaya pays 176% 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 $391 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 2% less than in Muar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $209 in Petaling Jaya versus $116 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Petaling Jaya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.