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 $1,060 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $924 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,348 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,771 in Sentul, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 15% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Sentul 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.74

$3.70 MYR 15.04

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 MYR 101

$22.16 MYR 90.1

12.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$4.97 MYR 20.22

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.99 MYR 12.16

4.01%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.52

$0.85 MYR 3.44

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.48 MYR 1.94

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.20

$3.36 MYR 13.67

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 23.96

$5.77 MYR 23.46

2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.75 MYR 7.14

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.09 MYR 4.42

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.46 MYR 5.93

-1.37%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.77 MYR 7.19

5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.27

$9.79 MYR 39.81

3.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$3.28 MYR 13.35

-2.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 MYR 38.75

$9.90 MYR 40.27

-3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.91

$3.37 MYR 13.70

1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.76 MYR 7.17

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.80

$2.79 MYR 11.35

-5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.65 MYR 6.69

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$1.44 MYR 5.85

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.30

$1.66 MYR 6.76

22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.38 MYR 5.63

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.55 MYR 2.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.28

$4.41 MYR 17.96

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.9

$14.37 MYR 58.5

31.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.84

$2.81 MYR 11.42

-5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.88

$3.14 MYR 12.76

47.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$0.71 MYR 2.90

77.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.0

$12.16 MYR 49.48

1.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.23 MYR 4.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.36 MYR 1.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MYR 36.84

$9.03 MYR 36.73

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.78 MYR 3.18

-5.13%

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

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

$43.0K MYR 175.1K

-3.75%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$33.7K MYR 137.0K

-2.60%

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

$49.97 MYR 203

$49.11 MYR 200

1.75%

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

$8.26 MYR 33.61

$8.28 MYR 33.70

-0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 MYR 109

$26.87 MYR 109

0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 MYR 217

$41.18 MYR 168

29.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.87

$6.80 MYR 27.68

-53.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$5.04 MYR 20.51

-3.37%

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

$281 MYR 1,144

$163 MYR 662

72.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

$4,578 MYR 18.6K

129.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$52.1 MYR 212

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 MYR 122

$16.80 MYR 68.3

78.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$79.8 MYR 324

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 MYR 347

$40.83 MYR 166

108.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,008

$426 MYR 1,733

15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,680

$330 MYR 1,343

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 MYR 3,447

$696 MYR 2,830

21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 MYR 2,245

$495 MYR 2,013

11.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

$2,052 MYR 8,350

57.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 MYR 3,868

$1,126 MYR 4,581

-15.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 MYR 7,157

$897 MYR 3,650

96.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.06

11.08%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sentul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Petaling Jaya versus $426 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 96% 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 $22.00 in Sentul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $232 – making Sentul 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 15% more than Sentul, 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 $1,590 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,386 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 1% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in Petaling Jaya and $163 in Sentul. 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 Sentul, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Sentul 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. Sentul costs $924 versus $1,060 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.