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 $1,036 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $884 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,308 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,733 in Sibu, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 17% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 24% lower, Sibu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.71

$2.18 MYR 8.91

65.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 MYR 100

$19.54 MYR 79.8

25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.21

$4.20 MYR 17.16

17.86%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.36 MYR 9.65

26.27%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.76

$0.67 MYR 2.73

37.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.24 MYR 0.98

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MYR 13.29

$3.02 MYR 12.32

7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 24.03

$4.30 MYR 17.55

36.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.77 MYR 7.23

5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$0.84 MYR 3.41

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.31 MYR 5.34

15.27%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.25

$1.97 MYR 8.06

-9.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.20

$15.04 MYR 61.4

-34.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.73

$4.22 MYR 17.22

-20.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.03

$10.14 MYR 41.40

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.13

$3.24 MYR 13.24

6.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$1.84 MYR 7.53

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.93

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$1.50 MYR 6.13

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.48

$1.26 MYR 5.12

65.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.20 MYR 4.90

65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$1.08 MYR 4.41

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.50 MYR 2.05

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.20

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$20.54 MYR 83.9

-5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.75

$3.00 MYR 12.23

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.44

$3.66 MYR 14.93

23.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$0.66 MYR 2.69

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.7

$14.00 MYR 57.2

-11.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$1.31 MYR 5.33

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.44 MYR 1.80

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$8.43 MYR 34.41

8.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.66 MYR 2.71

19.70%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

15.57%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.5K

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

-7.87%

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

$49.66 MYR 203

$49.25 MYR 201

0.83%

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

$8.04 MYR 32.83

$7.19 MYR 29.34

11.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 MYR 112

$26.77 MYR 109

2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MYR 212

$27.76 MYR 113

86.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.50

$6.44 MYR 26.30

-52.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.55

$3.65 MYR 14.89

31.23%

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

$282 MYR 1,152

$180 MYR 735

56.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

113.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MYR 208

$61.3 MYR 250

-16.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 MYR 123

$36.18 MYR 148

-16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 MYR 322

$93.0 MYR 380

-15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 345

$69.4 MYR 283

21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,964

$416 MYR 1,696

15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MYR 1,636

$359 MYR 1,466

11.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 MYR 3,514

$784 MYR 3,201

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,309

$449 MYR 1,832

26.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 MYR 13.1K

$1,916 MYR 7,822

67.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MYR 3,980

$1,147 MYR 4,682

-15.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 MYR 6,978

$499 MYR 2,037

242.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.2

7.38%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Petaling Jaya versus $416 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 243% 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 $20.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $261 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 17% 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 $1,553 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,325 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 13% less in Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Petaling Jaya and $180 in Sibu. 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 Sibu, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,036. In Sibu 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. Sibu costs $884 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 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.