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 $910 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $888 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,280 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,798 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,672 in Sarawak, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 2% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$3.59 MYR 14.17

-4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.1

$18.94 MYR 74.8

-2.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.21

$5.22 MYR 20.63

-11.69%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.73 MYR 10.78

1.83%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.77 MYR 3.04

-12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.37 MYR 1.45

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.08

$7.84 MYR 30.98

-54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.44

$8.53 MYR 33.70

-39.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.85 MYR 7.32

3.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.82

$0.93 MYR 3.69

4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.25 MYR 4.95

43.20%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 8.85

$2.14 MYR 8.47

4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 MYR 42.24

$15.25 MYR 60.2

-29.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.04

$2.55 MYR 10.06

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.46

$9.61 MYR 37.95

-14.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.90 MYR 11.44

-7.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.46 MYR 5.76

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 9.81

$2.51 MYR 9.90

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.40 MYR 5.51

-9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

$1.22 MYR 4.83

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.26 MYR 4.99

6.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$1.04 MYR 4.12

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.67 MYR 2.65

-5.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.34 MYR 17.14

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 MYR 79.6

$16.87 MYR 66.7

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.86 MYR 11.30

-3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.50

$3.01 MYR 11.88

30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.68 MYR 2.70

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 46.22

$11.95 MYR 47.20

-2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.03 MYR 4.06

-66.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$5.72 MYR 22.59

57.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

$34.9K MYR 137.8K

-8.74%

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

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

$31.6K MYR 124.7K

-11.13%

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

$40.25 MYR 159

$42.69 MYR 169

-5.72%

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

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$8.94 MYR 35.31

1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 MYR 90.6

$29.27 MYR 116

-21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 148

$36.53 MYR 144

2.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 29.55

$5.72 MYR 22.58

30.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.72

$5.01 MYR 19.80

-0.40%

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

$214 MYR 846

$187 MYR 741

14.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

$6,906 MYR 27.3K

16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 MYR 192

$36.96 MYR 146

31.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 MYR 134

$39.10 MYR 154

-13.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 MYR 217

$78.6 MYR 310

-30.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 MYR 195

$57.2 MYR 226

-13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,860

$329 MYR 1,299

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,371

$269 MYR 1,063

28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MYR 3,240

$500 MYR 1,976

63.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 MYR 2,190

$351 MYR 1,388

57.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

$1,801 MYR 7,112

84.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 833

$886 MYR 3,498

-76.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

$438 MYR 1,731

300.92%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $329 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 301% 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: $239 vs $241 – 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 2% 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 $1,365 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,333 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 2% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $214 per month in Petaling Jaya and $187 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 $910 in Petaling Jaya and $888 in Sarawak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarawak costs $888 versus $910 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.