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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $852 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,310 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,768 in Rawang, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 5% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Rawang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$3.04 MYR 12.05

14.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$21.02 MYR 83.4

-10.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$4.28 MYR 16.99

10.75%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.82 MYR 11.20

-4.61%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.91 MYR 3.60

-20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.34 MYR 1.35

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$4.17 MYR 16.55

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$4.31 MYR 17.10

17.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.84 MYR 7.28

2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$1.03 MYR 4.08

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.72 MYR 6.81

2.91%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$2.05 MYR 8.11

7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$14.67 MYR 58.2

-28.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$4.59 MYR 18.22

-26.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$9.40 MYR 37.29

-14.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.86 MYR 11.35

-4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.50 MYR 5.95

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$2.71 MYR 10.75

-7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.46 MYR 5.77

-13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$1.14 MYR 4.54

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.16 MYR 4.62

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$0.92 MYR 3.64

3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.49 MYR 1.93

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$4.33 MYR 17.18

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$19.73 MYR 78.2

4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$2.68 MYR 10.64

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$3.36 MYR 13.31

14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.69 MYR 2.72

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.68 MYR 46.30

2.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$0.73 MYR 2.91

39.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.51 MYR 2.00

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$4.59 MYR 18.19

104.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.51 MYR 2.01

-3.92%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

-8.22%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

3.41%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$37.94 MYR 150

8.17%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$10.01 MYR 39.71

-11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$25.40 MYR 101

-10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$37.31 MYR 148

0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$5.79 MYR 22.95

30.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$4.87 MYR 19.30

-0.41%

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

$213 MYR 844

$235 MYR 934

-9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

31.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$55.6 MYR 220

-13.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$29.12 MYR 115

20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$60.4 MYR 240

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$51.9 MYR 206

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$380 MYR 1,506

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$271 MYR 1,076

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$635 MYR 2,516

30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$480 MYR 1,903

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$2,013 MYR 7,981

59.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$962 MYR 3,814

-78.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$1,232 MYR 4,886

44.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.16

7.93%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $380 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 45% 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $21.00 in Rawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $255 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 5% 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 $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,279 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 2% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $235 in Rawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $892 in Petaling Jaya and $852 in Rawang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rawang costs $852 versus $892 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.