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 $813 per month in Putrajaya vs $806 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,235 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,664 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Putrajaya costs about 1% 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 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.24

$5.50 IQD 7,203

-34.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

-38.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.11

$6.01 IQD 7,877

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 11.94

$2.96 IQD 3,874

2.03%

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

$0.76 MYR 2.99

$0.39 IQD 515

94.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.49

$0.17 IQD 226

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 MYR 14.07

$2.86 IQD 3,744

24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 17.64

$2.83 IQD 3,710

57.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MYR 6.52

$1.37 IQD 1,793

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 MYR 3.15

$0.76 IQD 995

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.61 IQD 2,104

-22.98%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.77 IQD 2,325

1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 MYR 25.33

$4.53 IQD 5,934

41.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MYR 17.48

$4.84 IQD 6,344

-8.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.28 MYR 36.67

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.48

$1.24 IQD 1,623

154.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.29

$1.21 IQD 1,586

10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MYR 12.42

$1.05 IQD 1,373

199.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.38

$0.71 IQD 929

126.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.94

$0.69 IQD 904

117.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$0.67 IQD 882

168.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.47

$0.59 IQD 773

177.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.59 IQD 767

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.43

$1.96 IQD 2,568

112.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 MYR 58.6

$13.46 IQD 17.6K

10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.25

$1.83 IQD 2,393

55.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.53

$2.15 IQD 2,820

35.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.37 IQD 482

86.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 46.86

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

-81.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MYR 3.56

$2.29 IQD 2,995

-60.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$1.55 IQD 2,036

-34.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 MYR 22.73

$3.36 IQD 4,404

71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.53 IQD 691

-5.66%

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

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

$17.0K IQD 22.3M

110.81%

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

$38.0K MYR 149.9K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

90.87%

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

$46.05 MYR 182

$77.5 IQD 101.6K

-40.60%

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

$9.11 MYR 36.00

$15.39 IQD 20.2K

-40.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 MYR 89.0

$38.31 IQD 50.2K

-41.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 MYR 147

$22.85 IQD 29.9K

63.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.78 MYR 34.70

$19.33 IQD 25.3K

-54.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$7.52 IQD 9,846

-34.97%

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

$187 MYR 740

$95.0 IQD 124.5K

97.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,902 MYR 27.3K

$753 IQD 986.5K

816.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MYR 259

$26.73 IQD 35.0K

144.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.86 MYR 74.5

$27.69 IQD 36.3K

-31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MYR 291

$62.5 IQD 81.9K

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.66 MYR 161

$44.04 IQD 57.7K

-7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,357

$371 IQD 486.6K

-7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MYR 932

$193 IQD 252.7K

22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,528

$669 IQD 877.1K

-4.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,474

$319 IQD 417.4K

17.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,097 MYR 8,282

$1,698 IQD 2.2M

23.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,496 MYR 5,908

$553 IQD 724.9K

170.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 MYR 5,068

$500 IQD 655.1K

156.60%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Putrajaya versus $371 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 157% 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 $19.00 in Putrajaya versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Putrajaya vs $188 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 1%, 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 $1,219 per month in Putrajaya and $1,209 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 451% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Putrajaya and $95.0 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 $813 in Putrajaya and $806 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.