Cost of Living Comparison Between Ampang Jaya and Calamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Ampang Jaya and Calamba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $844 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $696 in Calamba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,265 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $1,181 in Calamba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,686 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $1,665 in Calamba, rent included.

Ampang Jaya costs about 21% more than Calamba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ampang Jaya and Calamba are more affordable than the global median – Ampang Jaya 37% lower, Calamba 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 MYR 14.13

$3.64 ₱224

-5.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 MYR 76.9

$13.16 ₱810

42.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.74

$2.58 ₱159

86.82%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$2.39 ₱147

23.85%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$0.65 ₱40.01

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.41 ₱24.98

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 MYR 14.41

$1.05 ₱64.6

235.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 MYR 23.64

$2.00 ₱123

189.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.86 ₱115

-3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.89

$1.19 ₱73.1

-20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.12

$1.10 ₱67.8

13.64%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.94

$2.29 ₱141

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 MYR 44.09

$9.38 ₱578

14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.90

$3.82 ₱235

-10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MYR 25.73

$8.37 ₱516

-24.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.76

$2.67 ₱164

35.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.86 ₱115

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.35

$2.37 ₱146

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.16 ₱71.5

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.82 ₱112

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$2.19 ₱135

-36.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$0.68 ₱42.08

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.30

$0.72 ₱44.36

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.82

$3.36 ₱207

22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 MYR 80.3

$8.77 ₱540

123.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.87

$1.04 ₱63.8

155.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.83

$2.34 ₱144

65.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$0.26 ₱15.88

169.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 47.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.87 ₱53.8

17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 4.03

$0.22 ₱13.53

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 MYR 35.67

$2.42 ₱149

260.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.15 ₱70.8

-60.00%

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

$48.7K MYR 199.3K

$32.0K ₱2.0M

52.20%

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

$37.9K MYR 155.3K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

83.77%

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

$40.70 MYR 167

$147 ₱9,069

-72.37%

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

$9.16 MYR 37.49

$34.10 ₱2,099

-73.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.11 MYR 94.6

$25.99 ₱1,600

-11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.99 MYR 143

$34.44 ₱2,120

1.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.81

$4.56 ₱281

27.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 20.33

$5.65 ₱348

-12.04%

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

$209 MYR 853

$153 ₱9,390

36.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,853 MYR 28.0K

$4,800 ₱295.5K

42.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 MYR 266

$49.68 ₱3,058

30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 MYR 122

$27.12 ₱1,670

10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 MYR 295

$74.8 ₱4,605

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 MYR 197

$46.97 ₱2,892

2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,568

$124 ₱7,617

209.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 MYR 1,158

$81.2 ₱4,998

248.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MYR 4,141

$591 ₱36.4K

71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 MYR 1,875

$397 ₱24.4K

15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 MYR 9,701

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 MYR 5,180

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$866 MYR 3,545

$258 ₱15.9K

235.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.5

-0.22%

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

Last update for Ampang Jaya: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calamba: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Ampang Jaya versus $124 in Calamba. 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 236% higher in Ampang 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 Ampang Jaya versus $13.00 in Calamba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $205 – making Calamba 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

Ampang Jaya vs Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $844 in Ampang Jaya, $696 in Calamba – roughly 21% apart. Ampang Jaya costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,266 per month in Ampang Jaya and $1,045 in Calamba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Ampang Jaya and $13.00 in Calamba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ampang Jaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $844 in Ampang Jaya and $696 in Calamba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Calamba – 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.

If budget matters most, go with Calamba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ampang Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.