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 $1,060 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $950 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,439 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,927 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 12% more than Subang Jaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 23% lower, Subang Jaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.74

$3.73 MYR 15.15

-2.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 MYR 101

$19.69 MYR 80.1

26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$4.73 MYR 19.26

1.69%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.91 MYR 11.83

6.87%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.52

$0.74 MYR 2.99

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.37 MYR 1.49

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.20

$4.13 MYR 16.80

-21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 MYR 23.96

$4.58 MYR 18.61

28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.85 MYR 7.54

1.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.10 MYR 4.47

-0.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-16.76%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.15 MYR 8.76

-13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.27

$13.43 MYR 54.6

-24.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.88 MYR 19.86

-34.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 MYR 38.75

$8.99 MYR 36.58

6.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.91

$2.86 MYR 11.65

19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.80

$2.41 MYR 9.81

9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.42 MYR 5.77

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$1.08 MYR 4.38

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.30

$1.13 MYR 4.58

80.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.09 MYR 4.44

33.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.57 MYR 2.32

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.28

$4.49 MYR 18.25

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.9

$19.22 MYR 78.2

-1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.84

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.88

$4.04 MYR 16.45

14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$0.89 MYR 3.61

41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.0

$12.40 MYR 50.5

-0.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.20 MYR 4.90

2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.39 MYR 1.58

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MYR 36.84

$5.06 MYR 20.59

79.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.84 MYR 3.41

-11.90%

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

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

$41.5K MYR 168.7K

-0.13%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$35.8K MYR 145.4K

-8.27%

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

$49.97 MYR 203

$38.14 MYR 155

31.02%

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

$8.26 MYR 33.61

$9.90 MYR 40.28

-16.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 MYR 109

$29.37 MYR 119

-8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 MYR 217

$24.78 MYR 101

114.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.87

$2.51 MYR 10.23

25.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$5.57 MYR 22.67

-12.57%

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

$281 MYR 1,144

$298 MYR 1,211

-5.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

$10.9K MYR 44.3K

-3.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$59.9 MYR 244

-13.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 MYR 122

$35.23 MYR 143

-14.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$85.3 MYR 347

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 MYR 347

$71.3 MYR 290

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,008

$575 MYR 2,338

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,680

$351 MYR 1,430

17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 MYR 3,447

$703 MYR 2,858

20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 MYR 2,245

$614 MYR 2,498

-10.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

$2,410 MYR 9,806

33.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 MYR 3,868

$1,843 MYR 7,497

-48.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 MYR 7,157

$909 MYR 3,697

93.59%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Petaling Jaya versus $575 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 94% 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 Subang Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Petaling Jaya vs $257 in Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 12% more than Subang Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,590 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,426 in Subang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subang 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 1% less in Subang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in Petaling Jaya and $298 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 Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Subang Jaya 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. Subang Jaya costs $950 versus $1,060 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 Subang Jaya. 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.