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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,008 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,449 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,890 in Selangor, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 11% cheaper than Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$2.56 MYR 10.16

35.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$23.14 MYR 91.7

-19.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$3.74 MYR 14.84

26.74%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.23 MYR 8.83

20.63%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.77 MYR 3.06

-6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.33 MYR 1.32

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-4.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.83 MYR 7.26

3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$1.01 MYR 4.00

-6.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.45 MYR 5.74

22.07%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$1.83 MYR 7.24

20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$14.43 MYR 57.2

-26.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$4.66 MYR 18.46

-27.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$9.83 MYR 38.98

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.87 MYR 11.37

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.64 MYR 6.52

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-7.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.51 MYR 5.98

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$1.27 MYR 5.03

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$0.99 MYR 3.93

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.54 MYR 2.15

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$4.32 MYR 17.12

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$19.54 MYR 77.5

5.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-18.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.61 MYR 46.04

2.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-15.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$4.38 MYR 17.39

114.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.46 MYR 1.84

6.52%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

-20.88%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

-11.70%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$65.4 MYR 259

-37.27%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$9.48 MYR 37.59

-6.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$25.69 MYR 102

-11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$38.55 MYR 153

-2.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$7.29 MYR 28.90

3.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$5.20 MYR 20.62

-6.73%

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

$213 MYR 844

$117 MYR 462

82.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

85.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$59.8 MYR 237

-19.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$36.96 MYR 147

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$75.1 MYR 298

-28.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$78.9 MYR 313

-38.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$441 MYR 1,749

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$348 MYR 1,379

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$849 MYR 3,365

-2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$472 MYR 1,871

14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$1,659 MYR 6,577

93.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$726 MYR 2,878

-70.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$1,004 MYR 3,980

77.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.96

13.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $441 in Selangor. 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 78% higher in Petaling Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $23.00 in Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $261 – 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Selangor costs about 13% more than Petaling Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,511 in Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, 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 Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $117 in Selangor. 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 Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $892, than in Selangor at $1,008. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $892 versus $1,008 in Selangor. 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Selangor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.