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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $957 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,341 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,362 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,767 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

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

Both Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 31% lower, Subang Jaya 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$3.60 MYR 14.73

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$19.22 MYR 78.6

-1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$4.76 MYR 19.46

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$3.00 MYR 12.29

-7.00%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.79 MYR 3.24

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.46 MYR 1.88

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.84

$4.75 MYR 19.45

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$6.63 MYR 27.13

-22.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.96 MYR 3.91

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.99

$1.44 MYR 5.88

18.75%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.87

$2.07 MYR 8.46

4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MYR 43.54

$14.78 MYR 60.5

-27.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.31

$4.73 MYR 19.36

-26.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 33.00

$9.84 MYR 40.23

-17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.02

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.34 MYR 5.50

30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.51 MYR 6.18

-19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.23 MYR 5.05

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.41 MYR 5.76

-1.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.61

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-27.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.52 MYR 2.14

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.12 MYR 16.85

3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.8

$18.99 MYR 77.7

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.73 MYR 11.17

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MYR 16.12

$2.94 MYR 12.02

34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.25 MYR 1.03

188.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.61

$17.70 MYR 72.4

-34.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.16 MYR 4.76

-12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.49 MYR 2.02

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 38.11

$4.60 MYR 18.83

102.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.46 MYR 1.87

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

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-8.98%

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

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

$33.1K MYR 135.5K

-16.32%

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

$40.34 MYR 165

$45.46 MYR 186

-11.26%

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

$9.05 MYR 37.03

$11.55 MYR 47.23

-21.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 MYR 93.0

$30.28 MYR 124

-24.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 MYR 152

$23.82 MYR 97.4

55.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.05

$2.30 MYR 9.39

219.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.68

$4.80 MYR 19.64

0.21%

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

$210 MYR 857

$186 MYR 761

12.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

$6,903 MYR 28.2K

16.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MYR 204

$60.9 MYR 249

-17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MYR 139

$18.95 MYR 77.5

78.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MYR 226

$83.7 MYR 342

-34.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 MYR 198

$39.53 MYR 162

22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 MYR 1,866

$495 MYR 2,022

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,405

$333 MYR 1,361

3.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,343

$630 MYR 2,576

29.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 MYR 2,198

$478 MYR 1,957

12.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

$2,362 MYR 9,662

35.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 859

$1,833 MYR 7,499

-88.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 MYR 7,008

$914 MYR 3,738

87.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.47

0.45%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Petaling Jaya versus $495 in Subang Jaya. 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 87% 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 $19.00 in Subang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $255 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Subang Jaya 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 $1,381 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,435 in Subang Jaya. 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 52% less in Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Petaling Jaya and $186 in Subang Jaya. 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 $920, than in Subang Jaya at $957. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Subang Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $920 versus $957 in Subang 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Subang Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.