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 $900 per month in Sarawak vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,286 per month in Sarawak vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Sarawak vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sarawak is about 1% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarawak and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 33% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.75

$3.63 MYR 14.70

0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$18.88 MYR 76.6

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MYR 21.39

$4.69 MYR 19.02

12.58%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.20

$2.71 MYR 10.99

1.85%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.68 MYR 2.74

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.37 MYR 1.49

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 MYR 32.06

$3.51 MYR 14.24

125.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 MYR 33.61

$4.96 MYR 20.10

67.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.67

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$0.95 MYR 3.85

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.21

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-25.86%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.26

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.95 MYR 60.6

$10.81 MYR 43.82

38.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.36

$3.56 MYR 14.45

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.23

$7.94 MYR 32.21

21.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.78

$2.76 MYR 11.18

5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.45

$2.47 MYR 10.04

4.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.89

$1.21 MYR 4.89

19.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.15 MYR 4.65

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.94 MYR 3.83

6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.72

$0.63 MYR 2.57

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.41

$4.13 MYR 16.74

3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MYR 70.7

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-10.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.45

$2.74 MYR 11.09

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.12

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.57

$11.97 MYR 48.52

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.66

$0.99 MYR 4.00

16.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.97

$0.32 MYR 1.32

206.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-36.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

11.64%

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

$31.9K MYR 129.4K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

13.30%

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

$43.20 MYR 175

$40.93 MYR 166

5.55%

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

$8.94 MYR 36.25

$8.87 MYR 35.97

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.23 MYR 119

$23.16 MYR 93.9

26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 151

$36.87 MYR 149

1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.31

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-16.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MYR 20.53

$5.01 MYR 20.30

1.00%

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

$189 MYR 768

$209 MYR 849

-9.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,935 MYR 28.1K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 MYR 149

$48.47 MYR 197

-24.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 MYR 159

$33.99 MYR 138

15.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MYR 312

$53.9 MYR 219

42.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 227

$48.57 MYR 197

15.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 MYR 1,313

$471 MYR 1,911

-31.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,092

$347 MYR 1,407

-22.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,046

$817 MYR 3,311

-38.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,459

$543 MYR 2,200

-33.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,935 MYR 7,847

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-38.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 MYR 3,944

$210 MYR 851

363.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,703

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-75.90%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 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 315% 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 – $243 in Sarawak vs $236 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 1% 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 $1,350 per month in Sarawak and $1,364 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 0% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Sarawak and $209 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 $900 in Sarawak and $909 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarawak costs $900 versus $909 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.