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 $821 per month in Sibu vs $892 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sibu vs $1,341 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Sibu vs $1,790 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sibu is about 8% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sibu and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sibu 39% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$3.47 MYR 13.92

-39.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$18.73 MYR 75.1

-55.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$4.74 MYR 19.00

-15.61%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$2.69 MYR 10.77

-20.82%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$0.72 MYR 2.90

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.39 MYR 1.57

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$3.44 MYR 13.79

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$5.08 MYR 20.39

-2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.89 MYR 7.57

-26.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$0.94 MYR 3.77

41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$1.77 MYR 7.12

-32.20%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$2.20 MYR 8.84

-29.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$10.55 MYR 42.31

41.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$3.39 MYR 13.58

38.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$8.06 MYR 32.32

-26.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$2.74 MYR 10.99

10.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.68 MYR 6.74

-27.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$2.50 MYR 10.01

-25.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$1.26 MYR 5.04

176.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$1.13 MYR 4.53

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$1.33 MYR 5.32

73.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$0.95 MYR 3.81

4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.63 MYR 2.53

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$4.35 MYR 17.43

-9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$20.58 MYR 82.5

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$2.75 MYR 11.03

-55.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$3.85 MYR 15.45

6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.72 MYR 2.87

1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$11.92 MYR 47.78

-0.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$1.02 MYR 4.07

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$0.33 MYR 1.31

196.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$9.38 MYR 37.61

-37.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.49 MYR 1.97

2.04%

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$31.1K MYR 124.7K

11.68%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$28.2K MYR 113.0K

11.32%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$41.04 MYR 165

7.04%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$8.87 MYR 35.57

-42.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$22.69 MYR 91.0

-19.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$37.62 MYR 151

-38.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$7.54 MYR 30.25

-23.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$4.85 MYR 19.43

-36.29%

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

$190 MYR 762

$213 MYR 853

-10.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$8,116 MYR 32.5K

-13.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$48.18 MYR 193

26.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$34.97 MYR 140

-22.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$53.9 MYR 216

33.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$48.40 MYR 194

3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$464 MYR 1,861

-17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$343 MYR 1,374

-21.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$830 MYR 3,328

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$538 MYR 2,159

-13.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$3,212 MYR 12.9K

-30.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$211 MYR 845

312.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$1,782 MYR 7,146

-71.34%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Sibu 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 249% 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 $8.00 in Sibu versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Sibu vs $237 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 9% 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 $1,232 per month in Sibu 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 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 1% less in Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Sibu and $213 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 $821 in Sibu and $892 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibu costs $821 versus $892 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.