Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Sibu Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Sibu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $802 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,227 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,652 in Sibu, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 14% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Sibu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$2.16 MYR 8.84

62.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.3

$8.61 MYR 35.20

122.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.54

$4.18 MYR 17.10

14.35%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.08 MYR 8.50

33.65%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.63 MYR 2.59

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.23 MYR 0.93

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$2.85 MYR 11.65

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.15

$5.08 MYR 20.77

-2.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.83

$1.39 MYR 5.67

38.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.35 MYR 5.53

-31.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.15 MYR 4.70

55.65%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.98

$1.53 MYR 6.24

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 43.01

$14.98 MYR 61.2

-29.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.93

$4.67 MYR 19.07

-26.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.84

$5.98 MYR 24.42

38.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.88

$1.16 MYR 4.75

44.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.33

$1.93 MYR 7.87

31.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-65.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-0.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$2.33 MYR 9.54

-40.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.05 MYR 4.28

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-50.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.18

$4.06 MYR 16.58

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.4

$19.77 MYR 80.8

0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$1.22 MYR 5.00

127.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.21

$3.90 MYR 15.96

1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$0.72 MYR 2.96

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.38

$11.95 MYR 48.84

-3.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.21 MYR 4.94

-15.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.99 MYR 4.06

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.49

$5.80 MYR 23.70

62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.47 MYR 1.90

-2.13%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

-12.59%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

-11.08%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$42.92 MYR 175

-5.75%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.52

$5.16 MYR 21.11

77.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.5

$18.36 MYR 75.1

23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$22.98 MYR 93.9

62.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.02

$5.80 MYR 23.69

26.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.96

$3.22 MYR 13.17

51.55%

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

$208 MYR 851

$185 MYR 756

12.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

15.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$60.4 MYR 247

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 142

$27.03 MYR 110

28.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$71.7 MYR 293

-24.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$49.94 MYR 204

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,882

$392 MYR 1,603

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,390

$269 MYR 1,097

26.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,378

$653 MYR 2,670

26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,198

$465 MYR 1,899

15.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,325 MYR 9,502

34.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 835

$1,259 MYR 5,145

-83.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,210

$489 MYR 1,998

260.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.25

5.65%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $392 in Sibu. 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 261% 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 $9.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $252 in Sibu – so Petaling Jaya 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 14% more than Sibu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,367 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,204 in Sibu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $208 per month in Petaling Jaya and $185 in Sibu. 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 $912 in Petaling Jaya and $802 in Sibu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibu costs $802 versus $912 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 Sibu. 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.