Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $858 per month in Ulu Tiram vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Ulu Tiram vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Ulu Tiram vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Ulu Tiram is about 6% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ulu Tiram and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Ulu Tiram 36% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.40

$3.44 MYR 13.59

5.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 73.7

$18.50 MYR 73.1

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.43

$4.61 MYR 18.21

1.30%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 10.96

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-0.36%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.67

$0.67 MYR 2.65

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 MYR 16.35

$3.57 MYR 14.08

15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MYR 26.83

$5.17 MYR 20.44

31.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.19

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.69

$0.97 MYR 3.82

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.10

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-27.93%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.19

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.36

$10.69 MYR 42.24

-2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 MYR 15.88

$3.56 MYR 14.04

12.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 MYR 32.38

$8.22 MYR 32.46

-0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$2.69 MYR 10.61

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.00

$2.48 MYR 9.81

2.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.27 MYR 5.00

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.69

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.24

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$0.90 MYR 3.54

4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.05

$4.29 MYR 16.95

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 MYR 69.9

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.29

$2.77 MYR 10.94

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 11.77

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-23.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-1.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 45.98

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.06

$0.35 MYR 1.38

194.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.10 MYR 35.96

$9.03 MYR 35.68

0.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$34.9K MYR 137.8K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

9.61%

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

$32.5K MYR 128.4K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

15.82%

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

$45.15 MYR 178

$40.25 MYR 159

12.17%

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

$9.24 MYR 36.51

$9.09 MYR 35.92

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.92 MYR 122

$22.94 MYR 90.6

34.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.34 MYR 148

$37.39 MYR 148

-0.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 MYR 23.77

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-19.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MYR 19.88

$4.99 MYR 19.72

0.80%

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

$187 MYR 739

$214 MYR 846

-12.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,993 MYR 27.6K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-13.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MYR 258

$48.73 MYR 192

33.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 MYR 75.3

$33.82 MYR 134

-43.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 MYR 275

$55.0 MYR 217

26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.25 MYR 183

$49.39 MYR 195

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,540

$471 MYR 1,860

-17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,059

$347 MYR 1,371

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,513

$820 MYR 3,240

-22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,866

$555 MYR 2,190

-14.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 MYR 6,925

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-47.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$904 MYR 3,572

$211 MYR 833

328.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$871 MYR 3,440

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-50.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Ulu Tiram: April 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Ulu Tiram versus $471 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 102% 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 $19.00 in Ulu Tiram versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $239 – making Ulu Tiram 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

Ulu Tiram vs Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Ulu Tiram, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,287 per month in Ulu Tiram and $1,365 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Ulu Tiram and $214 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 $858 in Ulu Tiram and $910 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ulu Tiram costs $858 versus $910 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 Ulu Tiram. 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.