Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Alor Setar vs $756 in Cagayan de Oro City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,149 in Cagayan de Oro City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,542 in Cagayan de Oro City, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 21% more than Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alor Setar and Cagayan de Oro City are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 34% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 MYR 8.51

$3.67 ₱230

-43.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$12.98 ₱814

-4.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.81

$2.97 ₱186

39.06%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.80

$2.31 ₱145

-16.88%

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

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.74 ₱46.57

-28.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MYR 1.28

$0.84 ₱52.8

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$1.41 ₱88.7

75.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$2.00 ₱126

119.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$1.47 ₱91.9

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.85 ₱53.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$0.96 ₱60.0

76.04%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.30

$2.09 ₱131

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 MYR 64.5

$8.24 ₱517

92.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 20.24

$3.20 ₱200

55.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 40.85

$5.99 ₱375

67.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.15 ₱135

13.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.09 ₱68.2

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.55

$2.77 ₱174

-15.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.16

$1.16 ₱72.6

9.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.55

$2.24 ₱141

-61.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$2.62 ₱164

-69.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.83 ₱52.1

-6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.46 ₱28.63

41.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.91

$2.83 ₱177

64.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.55 MYR 87.7

$3.92 ₱245

449.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.85

$1.63 ₱102

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.90

$1.88 ₱118

94.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.39 ₱24.28

97.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.8

$9.52 ₱597

31.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$0.61 ₱38.35

98.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.23 ₱14.43

121.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 MYR 27.25

$2.43 ₱152

175.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$1.01 ₱63.2

-50.50%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

106.54%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

43.99%

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

$51.8 MYR 211

$135 ₱8,439

-61.52%

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

$7.58 MYR 30.85

$22.79 ₱1,429

-66.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 MYR 89.3

$30.99 ₱1,943

-29.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 MYR 165

$20.28 ₱1,271

100.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.03

$2.85 ₱179

133.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$4.35 ₱273

7.36%

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

$175 MYR 712

$66.8 ₱4,189

161.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

$2,217 ₱139.0K

127.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 221

$32.37 ₱2,030

67.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 MYR 145

$13.26 ₱831

168.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$51.1 ₱3,201

45.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$40.64 ₱2,548

73.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,735

$386 ₱24.2K

10.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,367

$223 ₱14.0K

50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,895

$699 ₱43.8K

1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,055

$448 ₱28.1K

12.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,289

$1,613 ₱101.1K

26.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,146 MYR 4,664

$940 ₱59.0K

21.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 MYR 6,696

$305 ₱19.1K

440.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

6.75

-34.37%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Alor Setar versus $386 in Cagayan de Oro City. 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 440% higher in Alor Setar, 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 $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Alor Setar vs $169 in Cagayan de Oro City – so Cagayan de Oro City 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

Alor Setar vs Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alor Setar costs about 21% more than Cagayan de Oro City, 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 $1,368 per month in Alor Setar and $1,134 in Cagayan de Oro City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Alor Setar and $66.8 in Cagayan de Oro City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Alor Setar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Alor Setar and $756 in Cagayan de Oro City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cagayan de Oro City costs $756 versus $912 in Alor Setar. 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 Cagayan de Oro City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alor Setar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.