Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Rawang vs $892 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Rawang vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,768 per month in Rawang vs $1,790 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Rawang is about 4% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rawang and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Rawang 36% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.05

$3.47 MYR 13.76

-12.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 MYR 83.4

$18.73 MYR 74.3

12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 16.99

$4.74 MYR 18.79

-9.70%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.20

$2.69 MYR 10.65

4.83%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$0.72 MYR 2.87

26.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.35

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.55

$3.44 MYR 13.63

21.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.10

$5.08 MYR 20.16

-15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.28

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$0.94 MYR 3.73

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.81

$1.77 MYR 7.04

-2.82%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$2.20 MYR 8.74

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 58.2

$10.55 MYR 41.83

39.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.22

$3.39 MYR 13.42

35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 37.29

$8.06 MYR 31.96

16.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$2.74 MYR 10.87

4.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.95

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.75

$2.50 MYR 9.90

8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$1.26 MYR 4.99

15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.13 MYR 4.48

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MYR 3.64

$0.95 MYR 3.77

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.63 MYR 2.50

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.18

$4.35 MYR 17.24

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 78.2

$20.58 MYR 81.6

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$2.75 MYR 10.91

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.31

$3.85 MYR 15.28

-12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.72 MYR 2.84

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 46.30

$11.92 MYR 47.24

-2.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.91

$1.02 MYR 4.02

-28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$0.33 MYR 1.29

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 MYR 18.19

$9.38 MYR 37.19

-51.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$0.49 MYR 1.95

4.08%

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

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

8.96%

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

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

-3.30%

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

$37.94 MYR 150

$41.04 MYR 163

-7.55%

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

$10.01 MYR 39.71

$8.87 MYR 35.17

12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 MYR 101

$22.69 MYR 90.0

11.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 148

$37.62 MYR 149

-0.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.95

$7.54 MYR 29.91

-23.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.30

$4.85 MYR 19.21

0.41%

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

$235 MYR 934

$213 MYR 844

10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

-24.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 MYR 220

$48.18 MYR 191

15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.12 MYR 115

$34.97 MYR 139

-16.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 240

$53.9 MYR 214

12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 206

$48.40 MYR 192

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,506

$464 MYR 1,840

-18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,076

$343 MYR 1,358

-20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,516

$830 MYR 3,291

-23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,903

$538 MYR 2,135

-10.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 7,981

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

-37.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 MYR 3,814

$211 MYR 836

356.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,232 MYR 4,886

$1,782 MYR 7,066

-30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.49

-7.35%

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

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Rawang versus $464 in Petaling Jaya. 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 45% higher in Petaling Jaya, 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 $21.00 in Rawang versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $237 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Rawang vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 5% more than Rawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Rawang and $1,338 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $235 per month in Rawang and $213 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $852 in Rawang and $892 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rawang costs $852 versus $892 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rawang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.