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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,008 per month in Selangor vs $892 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,449 per month in Selangor vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Selangor vs $1,790 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Selangor costs about 13% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Selangor and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Selangor 25% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$3.47 MYR 13.76

-26.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 MYR 91.7

$18.73 MYR 74.3

23.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 14.84

$4.74 MYR 18.79

-21.10%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.83

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-17.10%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.06

$0.72 MYR 2.87

6.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.39 MYR 1.55

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$3.44 MYR 13.63

21.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MYR 21.15

$5.08 MYR 20.16

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$0.94 MYR 3.73

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.77 MYR 7.04

-18.08%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.20 MYR 8.74

-16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$10.55 MYR 41.83

36.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.46

$3.39 MYR 13.42

37.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 38.98

$8.06 MYR 31.96

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.37

$2.74 MYR 10.87

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.52

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.50 MYR 9.90

7.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.98

$1.26 MYR 4.99

19.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.03

$1.13 MYR 4.48

12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$0.95 MYR 3.77

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$0.63 MYR 2.50

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.12

$4.35 MYR 17.24

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.5

$20.58 MYR 81.6

-5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.35

$2.75 MYR 10.91

22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.88

$3.85 MYR 15.28

10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.72 MYR 2.84

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

$11.92 MYR 47.24

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.02 MYR 4.02

18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.33 MYR 1.29

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MYR 17.39

$9.38 MYR 37.19

-53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.49 MYR 1.95

-6.12%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

$31.1K MYR 123.3K

26.39%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

$28.2K MYR 111.7K

13.25%

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

$65.4 MYR 259

$41.04 MYR 163

59.41%

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

$9.48 MYR 37.59

$8.87 MYR 35.17

6.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 MYR 102

$22.69 MYR 90.0

13.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 MYR 153

$37.62 MYR 149

2.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 MYR 28.90

$7.54 MYR 29.91

-3.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MYR 20.62

$4.85 MYR 19.21

7.22%

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

$117 MYR 462

$213 MYR 844

-45.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

$8,116 MYR 32.2K

-45.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$48.18 MYR 191

24.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 147

$34.97 MYR 139

5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MYR 298

$53.9 MYR 214

39.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 313

$48.40 MYR 192

63.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 MYR 1,749

$464 MYR 1,840

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,379

$343 MYR 1,358

1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 MYR 3,365

$830 MYR 3,291

2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,871

$538 MYR 2,135

-12.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

$3,212 MYR 12.7K

-48.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

$211 MYR 836

244.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

$1,782 MYR 7,066

-43.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.49

-11.80%

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

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Selangor 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 78% higher in Petaling Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Selangor versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 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

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

Selangor costs about 13% more than Petaling Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,511 per month in Selangor 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 Petaling Jaya, 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 Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $117 per month in Selangor and $213 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $892, than in Selangor at $1,008. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $892 versus $1,008 in Selangor. 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 Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Selangor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.