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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Sentul vs $1,060 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,348 per month in Sentul vs $1,503 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,771 per month in Sentul vs $1,946 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sentul is about 13% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sentul and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sentul 33% lower, Petaling Jaya 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 MYR 15.04

$3.62 MYR 14.74

2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 MYR 90.1

$24.90 MYR 101

-11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MYR 20.22

$4.81 MYR 19.58

3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.16

$3.11 MYR 12.66

-3.86%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.44

$0.86 MYR 3.52

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.42 MYR 1.71

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MYR 13.67

$3.24 MYR 13.20

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MYR 23.46

$5.89 MYR 23.96

-2.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.14

$1.88 MYR 7.65

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.42

$1.09 MYR 4.44

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.93

$1.44 MYR 5.85

1.39%

Eggs

$1.77 MYR 7.19

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.81

$10.14 MYR 41.27

-3.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 MYR 13.35

$3.21 MYR 13.07

2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.27

$9.53 MYR 38.75

3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 MYR 13.70

$3.42 MYR 13.91

-1.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$1.87 MYR 7.59

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.35

$2.65 MYR 10.80

5.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.69

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-6.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$2.16 MYR 8.77

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.76

$2.04 MYR 8.30

-18.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MYR 5.63

$1.46 MYR 5.92

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.55 MYR 2.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.96

$4.49 MYR 18.28

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 MYR 58.5

$18.91 MYR 76.9

-24.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.42

$2.66 MYR 10.84

5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MYR 12.76

$4.64 MYR 18.88

-32.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-43.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

$12.30 MYR 50.0

-1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$1.23 MYR 5.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.36 MYR 1.45

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 MYR 36.73

$9.06 MYR 36.84

-0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$0.74 MYR 3.01

5.41%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.1K

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

3.89%

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

$33.7K MYR 137.0K

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

2.67%

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

$49.11 MYR 200

$49.97 MYR 203

-1.72%

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

$8.28 MYR 33.70

$8.26 MYR 33.61

0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 MYR 109

$26.91 MYR 109

-0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 MYR 168

$53.3 MYR 217

-22.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 MYR 27.68

$3.16 MYR 12.87

115.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.51

$4.87 MYR 19.82

3.49%

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

$163 MYR 662

$281 MYR 1,144

-42.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,578 MYR 18.6K

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

-56.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 MYR 212

$52.0 MYR 212

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 MYR 68.3

$30.01 MYR 122

-44.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 MYR 324

$79.3 MYR 323

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.83 MYR 166

$85.3 MYR 347

-52.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,733

$494 MYR 2,008

-13.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 MYR 1,343

$413 MYR 1,680

-20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 MYR 2,830

$847 MYR 3,447

-17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,013

$552 MYR 2,245

-10.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,350

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

-36.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,126 MYR 4,581

$951 MYR 3,868

18.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 MYR 3,650

$1,759 MYR 7,157

-49.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.51

-9.98%

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

Last update for Sentul: September 6, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Sentul versus $494 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 96% 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 $22.00 in Sentul versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $249 – making Sentul 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 15% more than Sentul, 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 $1,386 per month in Sentul and $1,590 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sentul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Sentul and $281 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 Sentul, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Sentul 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. Sentul costs $924 versus $1,060 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 Sentul. 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.