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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $900 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,286 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,673 in Sarawak, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 1% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Sarawak 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$3.64 MYR 14.75

-0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$18.77 MYR 76.1

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$5.28 MYR 21.39

-11.17%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.76 MYR 11.20

-1.81%

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

$0.39 MYR 1.59

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$7.91 MYR 32.06

-55.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$8.29 MYR 33.61

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.89 MYR 7.67

1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.00 MYR 4.06

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.29 MYR 5.21

34.88%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$2.04 MYR 8.26

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$14.95 MYR 60.6

-27.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$2.55 MYR 10.36

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$9.68 MYR 39.23

-17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.91 MYR 11.78

-5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.48 MYR 5.99

16.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$2.58 MYR 10.45

-4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.45 MYR 5.89

-16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.33 MYR 5.38

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.67 MYR 2.72

-5.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.29 MYR 17.41

-3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$17.42 MYR 70.7

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$2.82 MYR 11.45

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$2.99 MYR 12.12

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.69 MYR 2.82

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.98 MYR 48.57

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.15 MYR 4.66

-13.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.98 MYR 3.97

-67.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$5.92 MYR 23.99

57.94%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

-10.43%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$31.9K MYR 129.4K

-11.74%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$43.20 MYR 175

-5.25%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$8.94 MYR 36.25

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$29.23 MYR 119

-20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$37.24 MYR 151

-0.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$6.00 MYR 24.31

20.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$5.06 MYR 20.53

-0.99%

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

$209 MYR 849

$189 MYR 768

10.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$6,935 MYR 28.1K

17.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$36.81 MYR 149

31.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$39.24 MYR 159

-13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$76.9 MYR 312

-29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$56.1 MYR 227

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$324 MYR 1,313

45.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$269 MYR 1,092

28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$505 MYR 2,046

61.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$360 MYR 1,459

50.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$1,935 MYR 7,847

63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$973 MYR 3,944

-78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$420 MYR 1,703

314.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.07

10.32%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $324 in Sarawak. 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 315% 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 $19.00 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $243 – 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 1% more than Sarawak, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,364 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,350 in Sarawak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 0% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Petaling Jaya and $189 in Sarawak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $909 in Petaling Jaya and $900 in Sarawak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarawak costs $900 versus $909 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 Sarawak. 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.