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 $788 per month in Putrajaya vs $813 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,196 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,242 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,604 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,672 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Putrajaya is about 3% cheaper than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Putrajaya and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Putrajaya 41% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 MYR 14.16

$5.21 IQD 6,818

-33.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.0

$30.56 IQD 40.0K

-37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 19.20

$6.01 IQD 7,866

-21.46%

Cappuccino

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$2.97 IQD 3,894

-1.35%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.36 IQD 478

111.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.52

$0.17 IQD 220

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$2.87 IQD 3,759

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 MYR 18.56

$2.82 IQD 3,689

62.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MYR 6.71

$1.31 IQD 1,719

25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.43

$0.75 IQD 988

12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-24.70%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.77 IQD 2,324

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 MYR 27.17

$4.42 IQD 5,783

51.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 MYR 17.37

$4.99 IQD 6,540

-14.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 38.82

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

-32.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MYR 12.79

$1.22 IQD 1,596

158.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.17 IQD 1,526

13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.05

$1.04 IQD 1,365

208.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.62

$0.69 IQD 899

136.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$0.69 IQD 908

118.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$0.67 IQD 873

161.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 MYR 6.64

$0.56 IQD 727

191.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.14

$0.60 IQD 784

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 17.14

$1.96 IQD 2,572

115.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 MYR 58.2

$13.51 IQD 17.7K

5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.69

$1.83 IQD 2,395

57.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.06

$2.19 IQD 2,864

35.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.39 IQD 512

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.75 MYR 47.78

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

-82.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$2.33 IQD 3,045

-60.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.55 IQD 2,031

-36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MYR 24.27

$3.31 IQD 4,337

80.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.54 IQD 705

-7.41%

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

$35.3K MYR 143.5K

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

102.63%

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

$38.0K MYR 154.5K

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

91.11%

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

$46.46 MYR 189

$77.6 IQD 101.6K

-40.14%

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

$8.96 MYR 36.43

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-42.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 MYR 92.3

$37.86 IQD 49.6K

-40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MYR 154

$22.93 IQD 30.0K

65.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 MYR 35.79

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

-54.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.57

$7.52 IQD 9,841

-36.04%

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

$184 MYR 749

$96.4 IQD 126.2K

91.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,038 MYR 28.6K

$770 IQD 1.0M

813.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 268

$26.57 IQD 34.8K

148.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.54 MYR 75.4

$27.74 IQD 36.3K

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 MYR 299

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.41 MYR 164

$44.05 IQD 57.7K

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,381

$375 IQD 491.7K

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 MYR 947

$191 IQD 250.6K

21.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MYR 2,505

$671 IQD 878.6K

-8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,528

$312 IQD 408.4K

20.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,062 MYR 8,380

$1,706 IQD 2.2M

20.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 MYR 5,944

$548 IQD 717.0K

167.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,230 MYR 4,999

$502 IQD 657.1K

145.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

5.67

-28.22%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Putrajaya versus $375 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 145% higher in Putrajaya, 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 Putrajaya versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Putrajaya vs $189 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 – Al Hillah is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,182 per month in Putrajaya and $1,220 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 460% less in Putrajaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Putrajaya and $96.4 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $788 in Putrajaya and $813 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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