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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Sibu vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Sibu vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,652 per month in Sibu vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sibu is about 12% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sibu and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sibu 40% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MYR 8.84

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-38.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.61 MYR 35.20

$19.15 MYR 78.3

-55.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$4.78 MYR 19.54

-12.55%

Cappuccino

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-25.18%

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

$0.63 MYR 2.59

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.65

$3.61 MYR 14.77

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.77

$4.93 MYR 20.15

3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$1.92 MYR 7.83

-27.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 MYR 5.53

$0.93 MYR 3.81

45.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-35.75%

Eggs

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$2.20 MYR 8.98

-30.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 MYR 61.2

$10.52 MYR 43.01

42.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$3.41 MYR 13.93

36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 MYR 24.42

$8.28 MYR 33.84

-27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$2.65 MYR 10.84

12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.68 MYR 6.88

-30.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.53 MYR 10.33

-23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$1.20 MYR 4.91

191.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.18 MYR 4.81

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 MYR 9.54

$1.39 MYR 5.68

67.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$0.96 MYR 3.93

9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$0.59 MYR 2.42

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.58

$4.20 MYR 17.18

-3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.77 MYR 80.8

$19.92 MYR 81.4

-0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$2.78 MYR 11.36

-56.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MYR 15.96

$3.97 MYR 16.21

-1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.84

$11.59 MYR 47.38

3.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$1.02 MYR 4.16

18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$0.33 MYR 1.34

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.70

$9.42 MYR 38.49

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.46 MYR 1.87

2.17%

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

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

14.40%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

12.46%

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

$42.92 MYR 175

$40.45 MYR 165

6.11%

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

$5.16 MYR 21.11

$9.18 MYR 37.52

-43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.36 MYR 75.1

$22.64 MYR 92.5

-18.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.98 MYR 93.9

$37.27 MYR 152

-38.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 23.69

$7.35 MYR 30.02

-21.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.22 MYR 13.17

$4.88 MYR 19.96

-34.02%

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

$185 MYR 756

$208 MYR 851

-11.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-13.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 MYR 247

$48.20 MYR 197

25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.03 MYR 110

$34.63 MYR 142

-21.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 MYR 293

$54.0 MYR 221

32.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 MYR 204

$49.14 MYR 201

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,603

$460 MYR 1,882

-14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,097

$340 MYR 1,390

-21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,670

$826 MYR 3,378

-20.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,899

$538 MYR 2,198

-13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 MYR 9,502

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-25.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,259 MYR 5,145

$204 MYR 835

516.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 MYR 1,998

$1,764 MYR 7,210

-72.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

4.49

-5.35%

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

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Sibu versus $460 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 261% 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 $9.00 in Sibu versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Sibu 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 14% more than Sibu, 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 $1,204 per month in Sibu and $1,367 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibu, 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 Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Sibu and $208 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $802 in Sibu and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibu costs $802 versus $912 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 Sibu. 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.