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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Sarawak vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Sarawak vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Sarawak vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sarawak is about 2% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarawak and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 34% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.17

$3.44 MYR 13.59

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 MYR 74.8

$18.50 MYR 73.1

2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 MYR 20.63

$4.61 MYR 18.21

13.23%

Cappuccino

$2.73 MYR 10.78

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-1.80%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.04

$0.67 MYR 2.65

14.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.45

$0.36 MYR 1.43

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 MYR 30.98

$3.57 MYR 14.08

119.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 MYR 33.70

$5.17 MYR 20.44

64.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.69

$0.97 MYR 3.82

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-30.17%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.47

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MYR 60.2

$10.69 MYR 42.24

42.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.06

$3.56 MYR 14.04

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 MYR 37.95

$8.22 MYR 32.46

16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.44

$2.69 MYR 10.61

7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.90

$2.48 MYR 9.81

1.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.51

$1.27 MYR 5.00

10.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.19 MYR 4.69

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$0.90 MYR 3.54

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.63 MYR 2.48

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.14

$4.29 MYR 16.95

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 MYR 66.7

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.30

$2.77 MYR 10.94

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 11.88

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.20

$11.70 MYR 46.22

2.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.06

$0.35 MYR 1.38

194.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 MYR 22.59

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-6.00%

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

$34.9K MYR 137.8K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

9.58%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.7K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

12.53%

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

$42.69 MYR 169

$40.25 MYR 159

6.06%

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

$8.94 MYR 35.31

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.27 MYR 116

$22.94 MYR 90.6

27.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.53 MYR 144

$37.39 MYR 148

-2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.72 MYR 22.58

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-23.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 19.80

$4.99 MYR 19.72

0.40%

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

$187 MYR 741

$214 MYR 846

-12.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,906 MYR 27.3K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.96 MYR 146

$48.73 MYR 192

-24.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 MYR 154

$33.82 MYR 134

15.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MYR 310

$55.0 MYR 217

42.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 MYR 226

$49.39 MYR 195

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,299

$471 MYR 1,860

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,063

$347 MYR 1,371

-22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 1,976

$820 MYR 3,240

-39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MYR 1,388

$555 MYR 2,190

-36.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,801 MYR 7,112

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-45.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 MYR 3,498

$211 MYR 833

319.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 MYR 1,731

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-75.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Sarawak: April 28, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Sarawak versus $471 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 301% 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 $19.00 in Sarawak versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Sarawak vs $239 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 2% more than Sarawak, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,333 per month in Sarawak and $1,365 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, 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 Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Sarawak and $214 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $888 in Sarawak and $910 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarawak costs $888 versus $910 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 Sarawak. 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.