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 $1,032 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $984 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,497 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,433 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,882 in Sarawak, rent included.

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

Both Petaling Jaya and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 25% lower, Sarawak 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.11

$3.79 MYR 15.32

-1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.73 MYR 99.9

$19.59 MYR 79.2

26.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.35

$4.84 MYR 19.54

4.13%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MYR 12.31

$3.00 MYR 12.13

1.67%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.49

$0.80 MYR 3.23

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.69

$0.39 MYR 1.59

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 MYR 13.36

$3.66 MYR 14.78

-9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 MYR 23.55

$4.75 MYR 19.21

22.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$1.73 MYR 6.99

7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$0.97 MYR 3.90

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.87

$1.48 MYR 5.98

-2.03%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.20

$1.78 MYR 7.17

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.17

$15.77 MYR 63.7

-38.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.37

$4.81 MYR 19.44

-31.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.03

$8.78 MYR 35.48

7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.89

$2.95 MYR 11.91

-8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.78

$1.91 MYR 7.71

1.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.20

$2.23 MYR 9.00

24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.43

$1.78 MYR 7.18

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.44

$1.40 MYR 5.64

49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.00

$1.08 MYR 4.36

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MYR 5.79

$1.32 MYR 5.32

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.49 MYR 1.97

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 MYR 18.40

$4.16 MYR 16.80

9.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.09 MYR 81.2

$19.02 MYR 76.9

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.41

$3.11 MYR 12.56

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.06

$3.44 MYR 13.91

22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.85

$0.67 MYR 2.72

79.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.2

$12.80 MYR 51.7

-2.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$1.41 MYR 5.70

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.55 MYR 2.23

-30.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 MYR 38.27

$7.58 MYR 30.64

24.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.18

$0.69 MYR 2.78

14.49%

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

$41.3K MYR 166.9K

$40.2K MYR 162.5K

2.74%

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

$33.4K MYR 134.8K

$31.2K MYR 125.8K

7.12%

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

$39.91 MYR 161

$43.06 MYR 174

-7.32%

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

$8.11 MYR 32.76

$10.59 MYR 42.79

-23.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 MYR 110

$29.67 MYR 120

-8.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.88 MYR 193

$46.18 MYR 187

3.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 MYR 12.75

$6.71 MYR 27.11

-53.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$5.62 MYR 22.72

-13.88%

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

$280 MYR 1,132

$155 MYR 626

80.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$5,057 MYR 20.4K

111.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 210

$64.7 MYR 261

-19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 MYR 121

$35.21 MYR 142

-15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 309

$80.4 MYR 325

-4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 MYR 342

$64.5 MYR 260

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,012

$467 MYR 1,885

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,604

$305 MYR 1,234

30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 MYR 3,251

$642 MYR 2,593

25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,299

$548 MYR 2,214

3.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 MYR 12.8K

$2,277 MYR 9,200

39.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$213 MYR 861

$1,172 MYR 4,736

-81.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 MYR 7,056

$347 MYR 1,401

403.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.22

6.87%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 16, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Petaling Jaya versus $467 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 404% 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 Sarawak. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Petaling Jaya vs $260 in Sarawak – 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 5% more than Sarawak, 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 $1,548 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,476 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 3% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Petaling Jaya and $155 in Sarawak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,032. In Sarawak 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. Sarawak costs $984 versus $1,032 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.