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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $927 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,385 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,842 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 4% cheaper than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.85

$4.59 MYR 18.31

-24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 74.7

$23.15 MYR 92.4

-19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 18.91

$4.84 MYR 19.32

-2.07%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.72

$3.13 MYR 12.50

-14.06%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.88

$0.89 MYR 3.56

-19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.37 MYR 1.47

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.72

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.29

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.53

$1.80 MYR 7.16

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.75

$0.68 MYR 2.72

38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.08

$0.98 MYR 3.91

80.61%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.79

$1.73 MYR 6.91

27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 42.10

$4.62 MYR 18.44

128.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.51

$3.92 MYR 15.63

-13.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 32.16

$9.45 MYR 37.69

-14.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.94

$1.32 MYR 5.29

107.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.71

$1.59 MYR 6.34

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.96

$1.29 MYR 5.14

93.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.02

$1.43 MYR 5.71

-11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.51

$1.23 MYR 4.93

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.30

$1.27 MYR 5.07

4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.79

$0.61 MYR 2.42

55.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.51

$0.56 MYR 2.24

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.34

$4.06 MYR 16.20

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 82.1

$19.94 MYR 79.6

3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.98

$3.23 MYR 12.90

-14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.37

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.73 MYR 2.89

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.54

$11.93 MYR 47.61

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$1.16 MYR 4.64

-12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.30

$1.14 MYR 4.54

-71.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.43

$4.62 MYR 18.42

103.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$0.48 MYR 1.90

2.08%

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

$31.1K MYR 124.1K

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

-20.91%

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

$28.2K MYR 112.4K

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

-12.57%

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

$41.04 MYR 164

$58.1 MYR 232

-29.30%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.39

$10.59 MYR 42.26

-16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 90.6

$25.89 MYR 103

-12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 150

$55.8 MYR 223

-32.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 30.10

$2.35 MYR 9.37

220.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.33

$5.11 MYR 20.39

-5.09%

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

$213 MYR 849

$193 MYR 769

10.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.4K

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

-15.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 192

$61.3 MYR 245

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 140

$24.70 MYR 98.6

41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 215

$84.5 MYR 337

-36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 193

$52.0 MYR 208

-6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,851

$496 MYR 1,979

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,367

$309 MYR 1,233

10.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,312

$815 MYR 3,252

1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,149

$524 MYR 2,091

2.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.8K

$1,965 MYR 7,840

63.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 841

$991 MYR 3,955

-78.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,111

$1,180 MYR 4,708

51.02%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $496 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $23.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Petaling Jaya vs $206 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

Setia Alam costs about 4% more than Petaling Jaya, 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 $1,390 in Setia Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $193 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 Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $892, than in Setia Alam at $927. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setia Alam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $892 versus $927 in Setia Alam. 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Setia Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.