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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $737 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,202 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,666 in Rawang, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 44% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Rawang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.74

$3.66 MYR 14.89

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 MYR 101

$19.88 MYR 80.9

25.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$5.01 MYR 20.36

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.96 MYR 12.02

5.07%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.52

$0.85 MYR 3.44

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.36 MYR 1.48

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.20

$4.16 MYR 16.91

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 23.96

$4.38 MYR 17.82

34.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.84 MYR 7.51

2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.71 MYR 6.95

-15.79%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.13 MYR 8.68

-12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.27

$16.09 MYR 65.5

-36.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.99 MYR 20.31

-35.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 MYR 38.75

$9.73 MYR 39.56

-2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.91

$2.99 MYR 12.16

14.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.93 MYR 7.84

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.80

$2.51 MYR 10.21

5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.53 MYR 6.21

15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$1.32 MYR 5.36

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.30

$1.40 MYR 5.68

45.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.18 MYR 4.79

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.57 MYR 2.33

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.28

$4.43 MYR 18.04

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.9

$19.09 MYR 77.7

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.84

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.88

$4.16 MYR 16.93

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$0.71 MYR 2.89

77.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.0

$12.22 MYR 49.72

0.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.72 MYR 7.01

-28.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.41 MYR 1.68

-12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MYR 36.84

$6.92 MYR 28.16

30.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.81 MYR 3.31

-8.64%

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

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

$42.4K MYR 172.3K

-2.20%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$34.7K MYR 141.1K

-5.44%

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

$49.97 MYR 203

$38.27 MYR 156

30.57%

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

$8.26 MYR 33.61

$9.99 MYR 40.62

-17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 MYR 109

$30.48 MYR 124

-11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 MYR 217

$40.42 MYR 164

31.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.87

$6.55 MYR 26.64

-51.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$5.54 MYR 22.55

-12.09%

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

$281 MYR 1,144

$308 MYR 1,252

-8.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

-3.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$61.7 MYR 251

-15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 MYR 122

$35.16 MYR 143

-14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$85.3 MYR 347

-7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 MYR 347

$70.4 MYR 286

21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,008

$143 MYR 580

246.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,680

$104 MYR 422

298.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 MYR 3,447

$594 MYR 2,415

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 MYR 2,245

$239 MYR 974

130.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

$2,056 MYR 8,366

56.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 MYR 3,868

$1,114 MYR 4,530

-14.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 MYR 7,157

$1,018 MYR 4,143

72.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.24

6.37%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Last update for Rawang: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Petaling Jaya versus $143 in Rawang. 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 73% 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $20.00 in Rawang. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $271 in Rawang – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 44% more than Rawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,590 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,105 in Rawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in Petaling Jaya and $308 in Rawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawang, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Rawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rawang costs $737 versus $1,060 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rawang. 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.