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 $1,009 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $528 in Calamba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,502 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $775 in Calamba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,995 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $1,021 in Calamba, rent included.

Ampang Jaya costs about 91% more than Calamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ampang Jaya and Calamba are more affordable than the global median – Ampang Jaya 27% lower, Calamba 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 MYR 14.90

$3.91 ₱245

-5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 MYR 100

$12.20 ₱763

103.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.41

$2.80 ₱175

71.79%

Cappuccino

$3.14 MYR 12.66

$1.78 ₱111

76.40%

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

$0.94 MYR 3.78

$0.56 ₱35.07

67.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.09

$0.32 ₱19.98

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 MYR 17.62

$0.88 ₱55.2

396.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.20

$1.64 ₱102

296.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MYR 7.19

$1.68 ₱105

5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.42

$1.11 ₱69.4

-0.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.14

$1.01 ₱63.2

50.50%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.21

$2.10 ₱131

-14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 MYR 40.33

$5.05 ₱316

98.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.34

$3.36 ₱210

5.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 MYR 40.20

$7.70 ₱482

29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.50

$2.20 ₱138

52.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.06

$1.61 ₱100

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.08

$2.31 ₱145

40.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.83

$1.05 ₱65.4

60.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.00

$1.70 ₱106

-12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.06

$1.73 ₱108

1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.42

$0.66 ₱41.13

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.50 ₱31.26

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 MYR 17.85

$2.94 ₱184

50.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.30 MYR 77.9

$8.65 ₱541

123.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.09

$0.91 ₱56.8

229.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MYR 18.13

$2.00 ₱125

124.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 MYR 3.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.70 MYR 79.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.94

$0.82 ₱51.4

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.25 ₱15.65

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 MYR 25.63

$1.97 ₱123

222.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 2.98

$0.94 ₱58.8

-21.28%

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

$42.0K MYR 169.3K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

92.68%

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

$34.6K MYR 139.4K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

78.72%

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

$48.98 MYR 198

$144 ₱8,992

-65.94%

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

$11.48 MYR 46.31

$17.74 ₱1,110

-35.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 MYR 117

$23.94 ₱1,497

21.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 MYR 148

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 MYR 30.09

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.60

$5.12 ₱320

-5.08%

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

$200 MYR 808

$135 ₱8,450

48.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,483 MYR 18.1K

$10.9K ₱684.6K

-59.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 267

$29.37 ₱1,836

125.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.50 MYR 123

$19.59 ₱1,225

55.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MYR 329

$71.4 ₱4,462

14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MYR 208

$55.8 ₱3,492

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 MYR 1,820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,495

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 MYR 6,071

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 MYR 2,432

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$862 MYR 3,476

$260 ₱16.3K

231.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.75

-33.19%

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

Last update for Ampang Jaya: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calamba: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 231% 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 $25.00 in Ampang Jaya versus $12.00 in Calamba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $174 – 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: $1,009 in Ampang Jaya, $528 in Calamba – roughly 91% apart. Ampang Jaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,514 per month in Ampang Jaya and $792 in Calamba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ampang Jaya and $12.00 in Calamba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $1,009 in Ampang Jaya and $528 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.