Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Petaling Jaya: $1,056 a month against $1,288 in Subang Jaya, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Subang Jaya
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Subang Jaya Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Petaling Jaya
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Petaling Jaya Living Index

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Subang Jaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,288

/mo nomad

Petaling Jaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Subang Jaya and in Petaling Jaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Subang Jaya and in Petaling Jaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Subang Jaya vs $1,056 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Subang Jaya $1,288
Petaling Jaya $1,056

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Subang Jaya vs $1,569 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Subang Jaya $1,775
Petaling Jaya $1,569

A family of three spends $2,262 per month in Subang Jaya vs $2,082 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Subang Jaya $2,262
Petaling Jaya $2,082

Subang Jaya costs about 22% more than Petaling Jaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Subang Jaya 5% lower, Petaling Jaya 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.85

$3.57 MYR 14.58

1.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.42 MYR 79.4

$24.39 MYR 99.7

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.80

$4.85 MYR 19.82

-5.15%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.94

$3.08 MYR 12.57

-5.19%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.51

$0.41 MYR 1.67

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 MYR 16.61

$3.28 MYR 13.42

23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 18.10

$5.69 MYR 23.26

-22.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.34

$1.93 MYR 7.89

-6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.33

$1.03 MYR 4.23

2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.44 MYR 5.89

22.92%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.21

$1.77 MYR 7.23

27.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 MYR 56.6

$9.71 MYR 39.68

42.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.06

$3.28 MYR 13.40

34.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MYR 35.90

$9.73 MYR 39.78

-9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$3.51 MYR 14.33

-12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-1.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 MYR 9.05

$2.73 MYR 11.17

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.94

$1.83 MYR 7.47

-20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.36

$2.15 MYR 8.77

-50.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.43

$2.02 MYR 8.25

-46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-24.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.52 MYR 2.14

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MYR 17.89

$4.56 MYR 18.65

-3.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 MYR 76.8

$19.38 MYR 79.2

-3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$2.64 MYR 10.78

13.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 MYR 19.90

$4.48 MYR 18.29

8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.03

$1.25 MYR 5.12

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.29 MYR 99.3

$12.45 MYR 50.9

95.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$1.19 MYR 4.86

4.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 MYR 1.65

$0.35 MYR 1.45

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MYR 20.17

$8.75 MYR 35.76

-43.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$0.87 MYR 3.56

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

$44.0K MYR 180.0K

$45.9K MYR 187.5K

-3.98%

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

$35.0K MYR 143.2K

$35.3K MYR 144.4K

-0.77%

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

$37.37 MYR 153

$49.61 MYR 203

-24.67%

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

$10.06 MYR 41.12

$8.18 MYR 33.43

22.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 MYR 117

$27.36 MYR 112

4.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.43 MYR 128

$40.42 MYR 165

-22.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.51 MYR 10.26

$3.03 MYR 12.38

-17.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$5.00 MYR 20.44

-2.60%

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

$396 MYR 1,620

$273 MYR 1,115

45.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.3K

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 MYR 242

$51.6 MYR 211

14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.42 MYR 145

$29.45 MYR 120

20.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 MYR 343

$78.0 MYR 319

7.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 MYR 290

$87.2 MYR 356

-18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 MYR 3,480

$511 MYR 2,090

66.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 MYR 2,709

$426 MYR 1,743

55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 MYR 4,364

$961 MYR 3,926

11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 MYR 3,704

$699 MYR 2,858

29.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,344 MYR 9,580

$3,144 MYR 12.9K

-25.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,876 MYR 7,667

$976 MYR 3,991

92.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$933 MYR 3,811

$1,746 MYR 7,137

-46.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.51

-10.42%

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

Last update for Subang Jaya: October 25, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Subang Jaya

$663 51.5%

Petaling Jaya

$426 40.4% 35.7% $236

Groceries & Markets

Subang Jaya

$255 19.8%

Petaling Jaya

$249 23.6% 2.4% $6.1

Clothing & Footwear

Subang Jaya

$112 8.7%

Petaling Jaya

$111 10.5% 1.3% $1.5

Eating Out

Subang Jaya

$111 8.7%

Petaling Jaya

$113 10.7% 1.2% $1.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Subang Jaya

$76 5.9%

Petaling Jaya

$85 8.1% 12% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Subang Jaya

$41 3.2%

Petaling Jaya

$50 4.8% 22.5% $9.3

Getting Around

Subang Jaya

$29 2.2%

Petaling Jaya

$20 1.9% 28.5% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in Subang Jaya versus $511 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 87% 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 $19 in Subang Jaya versus $24 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Subang Jaya vs $249 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Subang Jaya

🇲🇾 Petaling Jaya

🕒 Local time

21:06 9:06 PM

Same time as Subang Jaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

902,086

771,687

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Subang Jaya Petaling Jaya 9 km

From you

Subang Jaya
Petaling Jaya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Subang Jaya costs about 22% more than Petaling Jaya, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Subang Jaya and $1,583 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $511 there versus $851 in Subang Jaya.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Subang Jaya and $1,056 in Petaling Jaya. That’s a gap of about 22%.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Subang Jaya and $273 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,288 in Subang Jaya and $1,056 in Petaling Jaya. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Petaling Jaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.