Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $918 per month in Setia Alam vs $920 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,762 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Setia Alam and Petaling Jaya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Setia Alam and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 31% lower, Petaling Jaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$3.59 MYR 14.70

27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 MYR 97.4

$18.95 MYR 77.5

25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$4.62 MYR 18.89

1.30%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.20

$2.79 MYR 11.42

6.81%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.69 MYR 2.81

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$3.63 MYR 14.84

19.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 MYR 24.63

$5.11 MYR 20.88

17.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$1.85 MYR 7.58

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.71 MYR 6.99

-42.69%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$2.17 MYR 8.87

-23.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$10.65 MYR 43.54

-55.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 MYR 16.33

$3.50 MYR 14.31

14.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MYR 38.95

$8.07 MYR 33.00

17.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

$2.69 MYR 11.02

-50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.42

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$2.52 MYR 10.32

-46.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.22 MYR 4.99

13.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.18 MYR 4.83

3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-4.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MYR 2.34

$0.88 MYR 3.61

-35.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.59 MYR 2.40

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$4.26 MYR 17.42

-1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 MYR 78.2

$19.75 MYR 80.8

-3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$2.70 MYR 11.03

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 17.24

$3.94 MYR 16.12

6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.72 MYR 2.93

1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 MYR 47.92

$11.64 MYR 47.61

0.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.02 MYR 4.16

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$0.35 MYR 1.43

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$9.32 MYR 38.11

-50.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

$32.0K MYR 131.1K

26.66%

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

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

$27.7K MYR 113.4K

16.14%

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

$59.1 MYR 242

$40.34 MYR 165

46.43%

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

$10.73 MYR 43.87

$9.05 MYR 37.03

18.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.60 MYR 105

$22.74 MYR 93.0

12.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 MYR 224

$37.09 MYR 152

47.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$7.35 MYR 30.05

-67.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.62

$4.81 MYR 19.68

4.78%

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

$196 MYR 800

$210 MYR 857

-6.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

$8,024 MYR 32.8K

18.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 244

$49.98 MYR 204

19.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 MYR 102

$33.86 MYR 139

-26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 352

$55.2 MYR 226

56.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$48.48 MYR 198

10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$456 MYR 1,866

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,247

$344 MYR 1,405

-11.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MYR 3,422

$817 MYR 3,343

2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,185

$537 MYR 2,198

-0.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,300

$3,204 MYR 13.1K

-36.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 MYR 4,806

$210 MYR 859

459.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,149 MYR 4,698

$1,713 MYR 7,008

-32.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.49

-8.24%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Setia Alam versus $456 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 49% higher in Petaling Jaya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Setia Alam versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Setia Alam vs $236 in Petaling Jaya – so Setia Alam 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

Setia Alam vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Setia Alam and $1,381 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% more in Petaling Jaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Setia Alam and $210 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 Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Petaling Jaya at $920. In Setia Alam 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. Setia Alam costs $918 versus $920 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 Setia Alam. 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.