Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Ningbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Ningbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Putrajaya versus $823 in Ningbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,190 in Putrajaya versus $1,331 in Ningbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Putrajaya versus $1,840 in Ningbo.

Living in Putrajaya costs roughly 4% less than in Ningbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Putrajaya 41% lower, Ningbo 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.34

$3.21 ¥21.76

11.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.16 MYR 76.9

$24.85 ¥168

-22.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 MYR 19.23

$4.29 ¥29.04

11.89%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.05

$3.14 ¥21.26

-4.46%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.19

$0.45 ¥3.04

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.51

$0.26 ¥1.75

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.58

$0.89 ¥6.00

308.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.49

$2.05 ¥13.89

112.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MYR 6.61

$2.00 ¥13.53

-17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.37

$2.81 ¥19.01

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.02

$0.83 ¥5.64

50.60%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.21

$1.38 ¥9.35

30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 MYR 26.02

$21.27 ¥144

-69.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 MYR 17.69

$4.96 ¥33.61

-11.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MYR 38.87

$11.66 ¥79.0

-16.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.51

$1.96 ¥13.27

59.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.42 ¥9.59

-2.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.47

$2.23 ¥15.09

39.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$1.10 ¥7.46

40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.03

$0.62 ¥4.22

141.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.15

$0.81 ¥5.46

119.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 MYR 6.62

$0.59 ¥4.01

179.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.22

$0.61 ¥4.12

-9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.35

$5.37 ¥36.36

-19.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 MYR 58.8

$7.98 ¥54.1

83.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.48

$1.14 ¥7.74

150.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.04

$1.95 ¥13.18

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.79

$0.27 ¥1.81

159.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 47.35

$16.39 ¥111

-27.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.70

$1.64 ¥11.08

-43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.16

$0.32 ¥2.19

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 MYR 23.73

$6.89 ¥46.66

-14.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.88

$1.15 ¥7.80

-59.13%

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

$35.2K MYR 141.1K

$21.9K ¥148.6K

60.36%

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

$39.0K MYR 156.4K

$19.5K ¥132.0K

100.16%

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

$46.00 MYR 184

$65.3 ¥442

-29.58%

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

$9.00 MYR 36.10

$15.43 ¥105

-41.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 MYR 89.4

$6.98 ¥47.28

219.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.97 MYR 152

$21.89 ¥148

73.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.78 MYR 35.19

$13.03 ¥88.3

-32.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.26

$8.25 ¥55.9

-38.79%

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

$187 MYR 751

$599 ¥4,055

-68.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,864 MYR 27.5K

$15.6K ¥105.8K

-56.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 MYR 255

$42.73 ¥289

48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.97 MYR 76.1

$28.84 ¥195

-34.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 298

$69.7 ¥472

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 MYR 162

$62.3 ¥422

-35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 MYR 1,359

$373 ¥2,527

-9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 952

$258 ¥1,745

-7.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 MYR 2,495

$879 ¥5,952

-29.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,497

$493 ¥3,339

-24.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,338

$4,638 ¥31.4K

-55.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,505 MYR 6,035

$2,605 ¥17.6K

-42.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,302 MYR 5,221

$1,193 ¥8,083

9.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.85

-16.08%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Putrajaya and $373 in Ningbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Putrajaya vs $25.00 in Ningbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $252 per month, with Putrajaya cheaper across the board.

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 Ningbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putrajaya wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ningbo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Putrajaya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Putrajaya pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $339 in Putrajaya versus $373 in Ningbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $187 in Putrajaya versus $599 in Ningbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Ningbo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Putrajaya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Putrajaya and Ningbo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Putrajaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ningbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.