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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $821 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,237 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,790 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,653 in Sibu, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Sibu 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.92

$2.10 MYR 8.43

65.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MYR 75.1

$8.41 MYR 33.74

122.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MYR 19.00

$4.00 MYR 16.03

18.50%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.77

$2.13 MYR 8.52

26.29%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.90

$0.60 MYR 2.39

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.23 MYR 0.92

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.79

$2.84 MYR 11.40

21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.39

$4.95 MYR 19.86

2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.57

$1.39 MYR 5.56

35.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.77

$1.33 MYR 5.32

-29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.12

$1.20 MYR 4.81

47.50%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.84

$1.55 MYR 6.22

41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 MYR 42.31

$14.94 MYR 59.9

-29.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.58

$4.68 MYR 18.77

-27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 32.32

$5.93 MYR 23.78

35.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.99

$3.04 MYR 12.20

-9.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.74

$1.21 MYR 4.83

38.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.01

$1.87 MYR 7.50

33.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.04

$3.48 MYR 13.95

-63.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.53

$1.25 MYR 5.00

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$2.31 MYR 9.27

-42.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.81

$0.99 MYR 3.99

-4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.53

$1.20 MYR 4.83

-47.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.43

$3.94 MYR 15.81

10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.58 MYR 82.5

$18.02 MYR 72.3

14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.03

$1.22 MYR 4.88

125.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 MYR 15.45

$4.09 MYR 16.41

-5.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.73 MYR 2.92

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.78

$11.84 MYR 47.46

0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.07

$1.20 MYR 4.80

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.31

$0.98 MYR 3.93

-66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 MYR 37.61

$5.83 MYR 23.38

60.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-2.00%

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

$31.1K MYR 124.7K

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

-10.46%

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

$28.2K MYR 113.0K

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

-10.17%

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

$41.04 MYR 165

$43.93 MYR 176

-6.58%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.57

$5.12 MYR 20.53

73.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 91.0

$18.25 MYR 73.2

24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 MYR 151

$23.20 MYR 93.1

62.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 MYR 30.25

$5.79 MYR 23.20

30.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.43

$3.09 MYR 12.40

56.96%

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

$213 MYR 853

$190 MYR 762

12.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,116 MYR 32.5K

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 MYR 193

$61.0 MYR 245

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 MYR 140

$27.04 MYR 108

29.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 216

$72.0 MYR 289

-25.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 MYR 194

$50.2 MYR 201

-3.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,861

$384 MYR 1,540

20.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,374

$271 MYR 1,085

26.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 MYR 3,328

$650 MYR 2,606

27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,159

$464 MYR 1,863

15.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 MYR 12.9K

$2,217 MYR 8,890

44.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$211 MYR 845

$869 MYR 3,484

-75.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,782 MYR 7,146

$511 MYR 2,048

248.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Petaling Jaya versus $384 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 249% 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 $8.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Petaling Jaya vs $249 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 9% 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 $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,232 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 1% less in Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Petaling Jaya and $190 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 $892 in Petaling Jaya and $821 in Sibu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibu costs $821 versus $892 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.