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 $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,027 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,483 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,938 in Selangor, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 1% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.71

$4.22 MYR 17.23

-14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 100

$19.63 MYR 80.2

25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.21

$4.00 MYR 16.34

23.75%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.19 MYR 8.96

36.07%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.76

$0.87 MYR 3.55

5.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.46 MYR 1.89

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.29

$4.50 MYR 18.39

-27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.03

$5.10 MYR 20.80

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.91 MYR 7.81

-2.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.10 MYR 4.50

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.25

$1.91 MYR 7.78

-6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.20

$15.50 MYR 63.3

-36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.73

$4.82 MYR 19.70

-30.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.03

$9.82 MYR 40.10

-2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.13

$3.35 MYR 13.67

3.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$1.84 MYR 7.51

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.93

$2.44 MYR 9.96

9.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$1.58 MYR 6.47

15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.48

$1.36 MYR 5.57

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.09 MYR 4.44

82.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$1.14 MYR 4.65

31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.54 MYR 2.20

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.20

$4.34 MYR 17.72

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$19.04 MYR 77.7

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.75

$3.38 MYR 13.80

-22.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.44

$4.99 MYR 20.37

-9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$1.25 MYR 5.10

0.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.7

$12.26 MYR 50.1

1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.25 MYR 5.10

0.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$1.26 MYR 5.14

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$4.51 MYR 18.39

102.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.66 MYR 2.70

19.70%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$42.4K MYR 173.1K

-1.94%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.5K

$35.0K MYR 142.9K

-7.31%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$65.2 MYR 266

-23.81%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.83

$9.10 MYR 37.15

-11.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 112

$25.81 MYR 105

6.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$40.42 MYR 165

28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.50

$7.22 MYR 29.49

-57.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.55

$5.30 MYR 21.64

-9.62%

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

$282 MYR 1,152

$124 MYR 505

128.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

$7,373 MYR 30.1K

42.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$73.2 MYR 299

-30.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 123

$42.30 MYR 173

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 322

$77.8 MYR 317

1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$81.6 MYR 333

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,964

$504 MYR 2,059

-4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,636

$346 MYR 1,414

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,514

$881 MYR 3,597

-2.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,309

$485 MYR 1,979

16.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$1,559 MYR 6,364

105.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,980

$712 MYR 2,906

36.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,978

$1,045 MYR 4,266

63.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

3.96

13.89%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Selangor: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $504 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 64% 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 Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $272 in Selangor – 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 1% more than Selangor, 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 $1,553 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,541 in Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Selangor. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Petaling Jaya and $124 in Selangor. 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 Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,027, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Selangor 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. Selangor costs $1,027 versus $1,036 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 Selangor. 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.