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 $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $918 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,395 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,872 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Petaling Jaya and Setia Alam have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$4.58 MYR 18.74

-21.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$23.80 MYR 97.4

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.68 MYR 19.15

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$2.98 MYR 12.20

-6.38%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.84 MYR 3.42

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$6.02 MYR 24.63

-15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.75 MYR 7.15

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.70 MYR 2.86

45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$0.98 MYR 4.02

74.49%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$1.65 MYR 6.75

31.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$4.78 MYR 19.56

122.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$3.99 MYR 16.33

-12.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$9.52 MYR 38.95

-15.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$1.33 MYR 5.44

102.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.57 MYR 6.42

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$1.34 MYR 5.46

88.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-3.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.33 MYR 5.42

4.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$0.57 MYR 2.34

54.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.53 MYR 2.17

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.21 MYR 17.23

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$19.11 MYR 78.2

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$3.21 MYR 13.14

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$4.21 MYR 17.24

-6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$11.72 MYR 47.92

-0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.17 MYR 4.78

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$4.62 MYR 18.89

101.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

-21.05%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

-13.89%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$59.1 MYR 242

-31.71%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$10.73 MYR 43.87

-15.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$25.60 MYR 105

-11.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$54.8 MYR 224

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$2.38 MYR 9.73

208.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-4.56%

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

$210 MYR 857

$196 MYR 800

7.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

-15.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$59.7 MYR 244

-16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$24.82 MYR 102

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$86.1 MYR 352

-35.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$53.8 MYR 220

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$495 MYR 2,026

-7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$305 MYR 1,247

12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$837 MYR 3,422

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$534 MYR 2,185

0.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,029 MYR 8,300

57.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,175 MYR 4,806

-82.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$1,149 MYR 4,698

49.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.12

8.98%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $495 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 49% higher in Petaling Jaya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $204 in Setia Alam – so Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,377 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.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Petaling Jaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Petaling Jaya and $196 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 $918, than in Petaling Jaya at $920. 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 $918 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 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.