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: $830 in Putrajaya versus $704 in Ningbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,236 in Putrajaya versus $1,203 in Ningbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Putrajaya versus $1,702 in Ningbo.

Living in Putrajaya is roughly 18% more expensive than in Ningbo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Putrajaya 40% lower, Ningbo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 MYR 15.20

$2.80 ¥18.79

34.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 78.7

$29.65 ¥199

-34.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 MYR 15.76

$4.48 ¥29.99

-12.95%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.77

$3.41 ¥22.82

-14.66%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.36

$0.47 ¥3.17

76.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.29 ¥1.92

44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MYR 15.33

$1.05 ¥7.05

260.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 18.92

$3.43 ¥22.97

36.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MYR 6.81

$1.82 ¥12.18

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.14 ¥7.63

-7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.08

$0.68 ¥4.55

120.59%

Eggs

$1.70 MYR 6.88

$1.56 ¥10.47

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 MYR 31.17

$18.23 ¥122

-57.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 MYR 19.18

$3.75 ¥25.10

26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 MYR 39.89

$8.63 ¥57.8

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 10.14

$1.07 ¥7.15

134.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.11

$1.53 ¥10.22

-1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.85

$1.50 ¥10.05

46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.63

$1.21 ¥8.14

35.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$0.61 ¥4.07

127.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.77

$0.71 ¥4.74

101.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MYR 5.64

$0.65 ¥4.33

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.58 ¥3.90

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 16.97

$4.52 ¥30.30

-7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 MYR 54.3

$8.24 ¥55.3

63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.65

$0.81 ¥5.44

255.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 MYR 12.63

$1.46 ¥9.80

114.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.93

$0.31 ¥2.09

135.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.51 MYR 50.5

$16.62 ¥111

-24.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.88

$1.68 ¥11.26

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.38 ¥2.52

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 MYR 40.98

$7.26 ¥48.65

39.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.66

$1.25 ¥8.35

-47.20%

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

$43.1K MYR 174.2K

$19.1K ¥128.2K

125.34%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.0K

$17.7K ¥118.9K

95.29%

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

$53.7 MYR 217

$50.7 ¥340

5.86%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.55

$6.53 ¥43.74

72.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.20 MYR 93.7

$7.86 ¥52.7

195.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.01 MYR 146

$25.30 ¥170

42.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.26 MYR 37.42

$14.30 ¥95.8

-35.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.42

$7.86 ¥52.7

-35.75%

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

$513 MYR 2,075

$954 ¥6,390

-46.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,495 MYR 18.2K

$15.9K ¥106.4K

-71.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 MYR 270

$64.3 ¥431

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 MYR 67.5

$26.19 ¥176

-36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MYR 336

$62.0 ¥416

34.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MYR 351

$52.1 ¥349

66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 MYR 1,422

$351 ¥2,355

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 MYR 944

$181 ¥1,215

28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,614

$770 ¥5,162

-16.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,475

$463 ¥3,105

-21.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,726 MYR 11.0K

$3,889 ¥26.1K

-29.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,778 MYR 7,185

$2,049 ¥13.7K

-13.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 MYR 4,153

$1,169 ¥7,834

-12.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.18

27.67%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $352 in Putrajaya and $351 in Ningbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ningbo pays 14% 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 $30.00 in Ningbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $201, with Ningbo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ningbo wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Putrajaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ningbo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $352 in Putrajaya versus $351 in Ningbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $513 in Putrajaya versus $954 in Ningbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Putrajaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ningbo 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 Ningbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Putrajaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.