Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $830 per month in Putrajaya vs $791 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,214 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,636 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Putrajaya costs about 5% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Putrajaya and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Putrajaya 39% lower, Al Hillah 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MYR 15.45

$4.86 IQD 6,367

-22.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 81.5

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

-34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 MYR 15.89

$5.95 IQD 7,788

-34.62%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 12.00

$3.05 IQD 3,993

-3.61%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.28

$0.37 IQD 480

116.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.22 IQD 289

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$2.83 IQD 3,705

26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MYR 18.99

$3.93 IQD 5,144

18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.09 IQD 1,426

60.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$0.78 IQD 1,018

41.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.53 IQD 2,009

-5.88%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 7.08

$1.81 IQD 2,368

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 MYR 31.39

$3.97 IQD 5,203

93.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 18.62

$4.74 IQD 6,202

-3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.61

$14.24 IQD 18.6K

-30.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.13

$1.18 IQD 1,549

110.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.08 IQD 1,412

45.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$1.06 IQD 1,393

112.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$0.78 IQD 1,017

114.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.62

$0.66 IQD 866

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.83

$0.64 IQD 835

123.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MYR 5.37

$0.56 IQD 730

133.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.59 IQD 768

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.20

$1.83 IQD 2,400

130.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 MYR 54.1

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.24 IQD 2,937

31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MYR 12.84

$2.20 IQD 2,875

43.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$0.39 IQD 513

97.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 50.4

$64.3 IQD 84.2K

-80.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$2.26 IQD 2,960

-55.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.52 IQD 1,988

-69.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MYR 40.71

$3.46 IQD 4,532

188.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.57 IQD 749

22.81%

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

$41.7K MYR 170.1K

$17.1K IQD 22.4M

143.29%

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

$33.9K MYR 138.3K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

78.04%

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

$53.1 MYR 217

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

-30.36%

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

$11.26 MYR 45.97

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

-25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.15 MYR 94.5

$38.51 IQD 50.4K

-39.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.95 MYR 143

$22.95 IQD 30.1K

52.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.53 MYR 38.91

$19.40 IQD 25.4K

-50.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$7.55 IQD 9,889

-33.38%

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

$514 MYR 2,099

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

441.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,473 MYR 18.3K

$766 IQD 1.0M

484.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 269

$22.31 IQD 29.2K

195.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 MYR 67.7

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

-33.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MYR 335

$67.1 IQD 87.8K

22.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 MYR 347

$47.37 IQD 62.0K

79.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 MYR 1,428

$281 IQD 368.6K

24.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$180 IQD 235.5K

25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,653

$495 IQD 648.4K

31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,478

$291 IQD 380.8K

24.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,705 MYR 11.0K

$1,717 IQD 2.2M

57.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,786 MYR 7,292

$555 IQD 726.2K

222.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MYR 4,276

$514 IQD 673.3K

103.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.12

-1.46%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Putrajaya versus $281 in Al Hillah. 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 104% higher in Putrajaya, 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 $20.00 in Putrajaya versus $30.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Putrajaya vs $186 in Al Hillah – so Al Hillah 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

Putrajaya vs Al Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Putrajaya is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,244 per month in Putrajaya and $1,187 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 421% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $514 per month in Putrajaya and $94.9 in Al Hillah. 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 $830 in Putrajaya and $791 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Putrajaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.