Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $973 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,443 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,913 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Setia Alam 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.71

$5.06 MYR 20.64

-28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 100

$24.14 MYR 98.5

1.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.21

$5.01 MYR 20.46

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$3.08 MYR 12.59

-3.25%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.76

$0.81 MYR 3.32

13.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.44 MYR 1.79

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.29

$4.46 MYR 18.21

-26.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.03

$6.07 MYR 24.77

-2.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.87 MYR 7.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$0.70 MYR 2.87

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.06 MYR 4.32

42.45%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.25

$1.81 MYR 7.39

-1.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.20

$4.94 MYR 20.16

99.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.73

$4.23 MYR 17.28

-20.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.03

$9.66 MYR 39.42

-1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.13

$1.34 MYR 5.46

158.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$1.94 MYR 7.90

-1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.93

$1.37 MYR 5.60

95.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$1.50 MYR 6.11

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.48

$1.30 MYR 5.32

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.32 MYR 5.40

50.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$0.64 MYR 2.59

134.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.56 MYR 2.29

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.20

$4.45 MYR 18.18

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$18.82 MYR 76.8

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.75

$3.45 MYR 14.08

-23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.44

$4.94 MYR 20.17

-8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$0.77 MYR 3.15

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.7

$12.46 MYR 50.9

-0.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.25 MYR 5.11

0.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$5.04 MYR 20.57

81.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.64 MYR 2.63

23.44%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$42.5K MYR 173.4K

-2.11%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.5K

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

-8.13%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$61.6 MYR 251

-19.32%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.83

$9.48 MYR 38.70

-15.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 112

$26.31 MYR 107

4.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$58.3 MYR 238

-11.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.50

$6.42 MYR 26.19

-52.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.55

$5.34 MYR 21.80

-10.30%

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

$282 MYR 1,152

$177 MYR 722

59.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

$11.0K MYR 44.9K

-4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$70.7 MYR 289

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 123

$25.51 MYR 104

18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 322

$89.2 MYR 364

-11.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$54.4 MYR 222

55.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,964

$515 MYR 2,104

-6.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,636

$322 MYR 1,314

24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,514

$860 MYR 3,513

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,309

$545 MYR 2,223

3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$2,025 MYR 8,266

58.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,980

$1,122 MYR 4,581

-13.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,978

$1,132 MYR 4,621

51.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.12

9.47%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $515 in Setia Alam. 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 51% 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $214 – making Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Setia Alam, 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 $1,460 in Setia Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 0% less in Setia Alam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Petaling Jaya and $177 in Setia Alam. 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 Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Setia Alam 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. Setia Alam costs $973 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 Setia Alam. 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.