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 $984 per month in Sarawak vs $1,032 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Sarawak vs $1,497 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,882 per month in Sarawak vs $1,963 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sarawak is about 5% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarawak and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 28% lower, Petaling Jaya 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.32

$3.74 MYR 15.11

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.59 MYR 79.2

$24.73 MYR 99.9

-20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.54

$5.04 MYR 20.35

-3.97%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.13

$3.05 MYR 12.31

-1.64%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.23

$0.86 MYR 3.49

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.42 MYR 1.69

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 MYR 14.78

$3.31 MYR 13.36

10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MYR 19.21

$5.83 MYR 23.55

-18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MYR 6.99

$1.86 MYR 7.53

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.90

$1.03 MYR 4.18

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.98

$1.45 MYR 5.87

2.07%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.17

$1.78 MYR 7.20

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 MYR 63.7

$9.70 MYR 39.17

62.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 MYR 19.44

$3.31 MYR 13.37

45.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MYR 35.48

$9.41 MYR 38.03

-6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.91

$2.69 MYR 10.89

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.71

$1.93 MYR 7.78

-1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 MYR 9.00

$2.77 MYR 11.20

-19.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.18

$1.84 MYR 7.43

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.64

$2.09 MYR 8.44

-33.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.36

$1.98 MYR 8.00

-45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.32

$1.43 MYR 5.79

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.56 MYR 2.25

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.80

$4.56 MYR 18.40

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 MYR 76.9

$20.09 MYR 81.2

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 MYR 12.56

$2.83 MYR 11.41

9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 MYR 13.91

$4.22 MYR 17.06

-18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MYR 2.72

$1.20 MYR 4.85

-44.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 MYR 51.7

$12.42 MYR 50.2

3.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 MYR 5.70

$1.20 MYR 4.83

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.38 MYR 1.54

44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 MYR 30.64

$9.47 MYR 38.27

-19.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.79 MYR 3.18

-12.66%

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

$40.2K MYR 162.5K

$41.3K MYR 166.9K

-2.67%

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

$31.2K MYR 125.8K

$33.4K MYR 134.8K

-6.65%

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

$43.06 MYR 174

$39.91 MYR 161

7.89%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.79

$8.11 MYR 32.76

30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.67 MYR 120

$27.20 MYR 110

9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.18 MYR 187

$47.88 MYR 193

-3.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.71 MYR 27.11

$3.15 MYR 12.75

113.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 MYR 22.72

$4.84 MYR 19.57

16.12%

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

$155 MYR 626

$280 MYR 1,132

-44.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,057 MYR 20.4K

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

-52.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MYR 261

$52.0 MYR 210

24.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 MYR 142

$29.85 MYR 121

17.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 MYR 325

$76.4 MYR 309

5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 260

$84.6 MYR 342

-23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,885

$498 MYR 2,012

-6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,234

$397 MYR 1,604

-23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,593

$805 MYR 3,251

-20.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 MYR 2,214

$569 MYR 2,299

-3.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 MYR 9,200

$3,177 MYR 12.8K

-28.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 MYR 4,736

$213 MYR 861

449.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 MYR 1,401

$1,747 MYR 7,056

-80.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.51

-6.43%

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

Last update for Sarawak: August 16, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Sarawak versus $498 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 404% 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 $20.00 in Sarawak versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Sarawak vs $247 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 5% more than Sarawak, 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 $1,476 per month in Sarawak and $1,548 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 3% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Sarawak and $280 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,032. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarawak costs $984 versus $1,032 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.