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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $832 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,260 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,689 in Sentul, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 7% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Sentul 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.76

$3.44 MYR 13.63

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.3

$18.62 MYR 73.8

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.79

$4.63 MYR 18.35

2.38%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.83 MYR 11.21

-4.95%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.69 MYR 2.73

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$3.56 MYR 14.11

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.16

$5.17 MYR 20.48

-1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.88 MYR 7.46

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.73

$1.00 MYR 3.97

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.04

$1.73 MYR 6.87

2.31%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.74

$1.87 MYR 7.40

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 41.83

$10.51 MYR 41.69

0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.42

$3.40 MYR 13.50

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 31.96

$8.32 MYR 33.01

-3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$2.73 MYR 10.84

0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.45 MYR 5.75

15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.90

$2.49 MYR 9.88

0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.25 MYR 4.94

0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.48

$1.13 MYR 4.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.40 MYR 5.55

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$0.88 MYR 3.47

7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.50

$0.60 MYR 2.36

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.24

$4.18 MYR 16.59

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 81.6

$14.43 MYR 57.2

42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.91

$2.79 MYR 11.07

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$2.96 MYR 11.74

30.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.84

$0.72 MYR 2.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.24

$11.62 MYR 46.06

2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.02

$1.02 MYR 4.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.29

$0.99 MYR 3.94

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.19

$9.02 MYR 35.75

3.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-2.00%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

$31.9K MYR 126.7K

-2.67%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

$28.3K MYR 112.2K

-0.44%

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

$41.04 MYR 163

$41.62 MYR 165

-1.39%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.17

$8.92 MYR 35.38

-0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.0

$23.34 MYR 92.6

-2.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 149

$36.20 MYR 144

3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 29.91

$5.98 MYR 23.71

26.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.21

$4.98 MYR 19.75

-2.61%

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

$213 MYR 844

$188 MYR 747

12.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

$6,924 MYR 27.5K

17.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 191

$63.6 MYR 252

-24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 139

$28.35 MYR 112

23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 214

$59.1 MYR 234

-8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 192

$49.22 MYR 195

-1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,840

$379 MYR 1,505

22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,358

$270 MYR 1,070

26.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,291

$646 MYR 2,563

28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,135

$471 MYR 1,867

14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

$2,108 MYR 8,360

52.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 836

$899 MYR 3,566

-76.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,066

$894 MYR 3,545

99.32%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Sentul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $379 in Sentul. 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 99% 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 Sentul. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Petaling Jaya vs $221 in Sentul – so Sentul 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 7% more than Sentul, 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 $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,247 in Sentul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $188 in Sentul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $892 in Petaling Jaya and $832 in Sentul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sentul costs $832 versus $892 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 Sentul. 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.