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: $785 in Putrajaya versus $840 in Ningbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Putrajaya versus $1,322 in Ningbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,614 in Putrajaya versus $1,804 in Ningbo.

Living in Putrajaya costs roughly 7% less than in Ningbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Putrajaya 41% lower, Ningbo 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 MYR 14.25

$3.12 ¥21.08

11.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MYR 76.1

$24.61 ¥166

-24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.51

$4.12 ¥27.83

15.78%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.67

$3.06 ¥20.68

-6.86%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.25

$0.41 ¥2.80

92.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.65

$0.26 ¥1.76

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 MYR 14.38

$0.94 ¥6.33

274.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 MYR 18.63

$2.05 ¥13.88

121.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.85

$2.07 ¥14.01

-19.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$2.71 ¥18.35

-69.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.07

$0.80 ¥5.40

55.00%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$1.36 ¥9.16

38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 MYR 27.04

$20.53 ¥139

-67.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$4.87 ¥32.89

-8.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 39.07

$12.06 ¥81.5

-20.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.78

$1.91 ¥12.90

63.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.41 ¥9.52

-5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.77

$2.23 ¥15.07

39.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.15 ¥7.76

36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.15

$0.67 ¥4.52

123.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$0.79 ¥5.31

118.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.72

$0.59 ¥4.00

177.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.61 ¥4.09

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.98

$5.38 ¥36.32

-22.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 MYR 55.6

$8.35 ¥56.4

62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.25

$1.14 ¥7.73

141.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.41

$2.04 ¥13.78

48.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.29 ¥1.99

137.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.74

$16.81 ¥114

-30.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.75

$1.65 ¥11.18

-44.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.33 ¥2.21

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 MYR 23.57

$6.98 ¥47.15

-17.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$1.18 ¥8.00

-61.02%

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

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

67.66%

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

$38.1K MYR 155.9K

$19.7K ¥132.8K

93.90%

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

$45.95 MYR 188

$64.3 ¥435

-28.56%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.16

$15.88 ¥107

-41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.07 MYR 90.3

$6.77 ¥45.78

226.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 152

$21.69 ¥147

71.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 MYR 36.59

$12.89 ¥87.1

-30.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MYR 20.56

$8.44 ¥57.1

-40.40%

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

$184 MYR 753

$597 ¥4,034

-69.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,826 MYR 27.9K

$15.1K ¥101.7K

-54.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 262

$42.71 ¥289

49.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.68 MYR 76.4

$29.77 ¥201

-37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MYR 302

$69.0 ¥466

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.55 MYR 162

$62.8 ¥425

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,403

$384 ¥2,593

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MYR 975

$256 ¥1,731

-6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 MYR 2,532

$860 ¥5,811

-28.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,543

$489 ¥3,306

-22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 MYR 11.0K

$4,649 ¥31.4K

-41.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,786 MYR 7,305

$2,583 ¥17.5K

-30.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 MYR 4,196

$1,192 ¥8,055

-13.93%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Putrajaya and $384 in Ningbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ningbo pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Putrajaya vs $25.00 in Ningbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $251 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 7% 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.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Ningbo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $343 in Putrajaya versus $384 in Ningbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $184 in Putrajaya versus $597 in Ningbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 7% less than in Ningbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.