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 $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $844 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,261 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,677 in Sentul, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Sentul 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$3.55 MYR 14.53

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$19.00 MYR 77.7

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$2.71 MYR 11.10

2.95%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.67 MYR 2.76

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.45 MYR 1.85

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$3.44 MYR 14.08

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$5.15 MYR 21.07

-0.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.00 MYR 4.10

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.80 MYR 7.36

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$1.90 MYR 7.76

14.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$10.68 MYR 43.66

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$3.41 MYR 13.95

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$7.97 MYR 32.61

1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$2.77 MYR 11.33

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.51 MYR 6.19

15.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$2.47 MYR 10.09

2.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.25 MYR 5.11

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.13 MYR 4.64

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.38 MYR 5.64

0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$0.94 MYR 3.84

-6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.60 MYR 2.44

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.35 MYR 17.77

-2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$14.13 MYR 57.8

39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.67 MYR 10.92

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$3.01 MYR 12.31

30.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.68 MYR 2.79

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.91 MYR 48.72

-2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$0.98 MYR 3.99

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$1.02 MYR 4.18

-65.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$9.09 MYR 37.16

2.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.50 MYR 2.04

-8.00%

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$31.9K MYR 130.3K

0.59%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$27.9K MYR 113.9K

-0.49%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$40.41 MYR 165

-0.17%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$8.94 MYR 36.57

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$23.35 MYR 95.5

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$37.18 MYR 152

-0.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$5.78 MYR 23.64

27.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$5.07 MYR 20.72

-5.13%

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

$210 MYR 857

$187 MYR 763

12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$7,016 MYR 28.7K

14.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$64.1 MYR 262

-21.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$27.93 MYR 114

21.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$59.9 MYR 245

-7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$49.06 MYR 201

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$390 MYR 1,595

17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$270 MYR 1,106

27.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$653 MYR 2,671

25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$467 MYR 1,910

15.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,138 MYR 8,746

49.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,186 MYR 4,849

-82.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$900 MYR 3,679

90.48%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sentul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $390 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 90% 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 – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $220 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 9% 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 $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,267 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 2% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Petaling Jaya and $187 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 $920 in Petaling Jaya and $844 in Sentul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sentul costs $844 versus $920 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.