Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $887 per month in Putra Heights vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,318 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,749 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Putra Heights is about 3% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Putra Heights and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Putra Heights 33% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MYR 76.0

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.79

$4.78 MYR 19.53

-3.77%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.73

$2.78 MYR 11.34

3.24%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$0.72 MYR 2.96

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.39 MYR 1.60

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 MYR 17.47

$3.61 MYR 14.75

18.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.62

$4.93 MYR 20.13

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.34

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.93 MYR 3.81

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-27.93%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.78

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 MYR 60.5

$10.52 MYR 42.97

40.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$3.41 MYR 13.92

36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.56

$8.28 MYR 33.81

14.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.65 MYR 10.83

9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.18

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-10.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.74

$2.53 MYR 10.32

3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.98

$1.20 MYR 4.91

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.18 MYR 4.80

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.51

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$0.96 MYR 3.93

26.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.20 MYR 17.17

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 MYR 56.9

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.78 MYR 11.35

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-24.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.99

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.47

$11.59 MYR 47.34

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.02 MYR 4.16

12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$0.33 MYR 1.34

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 MYR 19.05

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-50.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.9K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

15.13%

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

$32.7K MYR 133.5K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

15.68%

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

$65.4 MYR 267

$40.45 MYR 165

61.73%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.46

$9.18 MYR 37.49

-2.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.35 MYR 104

$22.64 MYR 92.5

11.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 153

$37.27 MYR 152

0.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 24.19

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-19.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 MYR 20.90

$4.88 MYR 19.94

4.92%

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

$186 MYR 758

$208 MYR 850

-10.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,798 MYR 27.8K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-15.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 251

$48.20 MYR 197

27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 MYR 77.9

$34.63 MYR 141

-44.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MYR 297

$54.0 MYR 221

34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 MYR 165

$49.14 MYR 201

-18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,577

$460 MYR 1,880

-16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,113

$340 MYR 1,389

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,619

$826 MYR 3,375

-22.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,894

$538 MYR 2,196

-13.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 7,161

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-43.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 MYR 4,244

$204 MYR 834

408.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,450

$1,764 MYR 7,203

-38.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Putra Heights: July 28, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Putra Heights versus $460 in Petaling 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 62% 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 Putra Heights versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Putra Heights vs $236 in Petaling 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

Putra Heights vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 3% more than Putra Heights, 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 $1,330 per month in Putra Heights and $1,367 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Putra Heights. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Putra Heights and $208 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $887 in Putra Heights and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Putra Heights costs $887 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 Putra Heights. 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.