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 $851 per month in Rawang vs $920 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,316 per month in Rawang vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Rawang vs $1,762 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Rawang is about 8% 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 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$3.59 MYR 14.70

-16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.97 MYR 85.8

$18.95 MYR 77.5

10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.62 MYR 18.89

-7.79%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.69

$2.79 MYR 11.42

2.51%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.51

$0.69 MYR 2.81

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.66

$3.63 MYR 14.84

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$5.11 MYR 20.88

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.85 MYR 7.58

-1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$1.71 MYR 6.99

-3.51%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.79

$2.17 MYR 8.87

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 MYR 59.3

$10.65 MYR 43.54

36.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$3.50 MYR 14.31

32.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.73

$8.07 MYR 33.00

17.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$2.69 MYR 11.02

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-17.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.55

$2.52 MYR 10.32

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.22 MYR 4.99

18.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$1.18 MYR 4.83

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.66

$0.88 MYR 3.61

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.59 MYR 2.40

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.06

$4.26 MYR 17.42

-2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 MYR 77.2

$19.75 MYR 80.8

-4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.10

$2.70 MYR 11.03

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.45

$3.94 MYR 16.12

-10.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.72 MYR 2.93

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 47.42

$11.64 MYR 47.61

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.02 MYR 4.16

-27.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.35 MYR 1.43

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MYR 18.96

$9.32 MYR 38.11

-50.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$33.4K MYR 136.7K

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

4.31%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.3K

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

-1.81%

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

$38.80 MYR 159

$40.34 MYR 165

-3.82%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.86

$9.05 MYR 37.03

10.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 MYR 107

$22.74 MYR 93.0

14.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 MYR 154

$37.09 MYR 152

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 MYR 23.49

$7.35 MYR 30.05

-21.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.90

$4.81 MYR 19.68

1.04%

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

$234 MYR 958

$210 MYR 857

11.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,231 MYR 25.5K

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

-22.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 222

$49.98 MYR 204

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.83 MYR 118

$33.86 MYR 139

-14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 MYR 250

$55.2 MYR 226

11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 212

$48.48 MYR 198

7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,559

$456 MYR 1,866

-16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MYR 1,082

$344 MYR 1,405

-23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,655

$817 MYR 3,343

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,922

$537 MYR 2,198

-12.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,395

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

-35.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,639

$210 MYR 859

440.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 MYR 4,887

$1,713 MYR 7,008

-30.26%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Rawang versus $456 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 43% 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: $252 vs $236 – 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 8% 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 $1,277 per month in Rawang and $1,381 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 0% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $234 per month in Rawang and $210 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 $851 in Rawang and $920 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rawang costs $851 versus $920 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.