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 $875 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $723 in Calamba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $1,179 in Calamba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,696 per month in Ampang Jaya vs $1,636 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 35% lower, Calamba 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.10

$3.58 ₱221

-0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 MYR 76.0

$13.48 ₱831

42.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.16

$2.58 ₱159

87.21%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.59

$2.35 ₱145

24.26%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.20

$0.69 ₱42.53

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.40 ₱24.83

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.25

$1.00 ₱61.9

259.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$1.98 ₱122

190.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MYR 7.08

$1.85 ₱114

-3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.98

$1.21 ₱74.5

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.17

$1.08 ₱66.4

20.37%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.06

$2.20 ₱136

3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 MYR 41.96

$9.44 ₱582

12.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.06

$3.71 ₱229

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 MYR 24.61

$8.67 ₱535

-28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 MYR 14.49

$2.71 ₱167

34.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.92

$1.78 ₱110

-16.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.37

$2.36 ₱146

-21.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.00

$1.22 ₱75.2

3.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.83 ₱113

-37.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.23

$2.19 ₱135

-39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.62

$0.68 ₱42.15

33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.21

$0.77 ₱47.33

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$3.30 ₱203

26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.40 MYR 80.9

$8.66 ₱534

135.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$1.03 ₱63.3

160.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 14.97

$2.34 ₱144

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.26 ₱15.98

165.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 MYR 46.08

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.90 ₱55.8

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$0.22 ₱13.54

363.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 35.11

$2.41 ₱149

267.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$1.12 ₱69.1

-56.25%

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

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

$31.3K ₱1.9M

56.03%

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

$38.4K MYR 152.1K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

90.99%

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

$41.59 MYR 165

$144 ₱8,890

-71.15%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$34.60 ₱2,134

-74.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 MYR 90.7

$26.46 ₱1,632

-13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 MYR 140

$33.99 ₱2,096

4.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 22.93

$4.41 ₱272

31.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 19.53

$5.80 ₱358

-15.00%

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

$209 MYR 828

$153 ₱9,416

36.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,969 MYR 27.6K

$4,663 ₱287.5K

49.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MYR 258

$49.35 ₱3,043

32.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 MYR 119

$28.02 ₱1,728

6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 294

$76.5 ₱4,718

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.27 MYR 195

$47.46 ₱2,926

3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,546

$123 ₱7,577

217.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 MYR 1,120

$79.2 ₱4,882

256.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MYR 3,945

$587 ₱36.2K

69.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MYR 1,805

$391 ₱24.1K

16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,749 MYR 6,936

$2,695 ₱166.2K

-35.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,103 MYR 4,373

$1,000 ₱61.6K

10.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$858 MYR 3,400

$257 ₱15.8K

234.06%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calamba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Ampang Jaya versus $123 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 234% 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: $229 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: $875 in Ampang Jaya, $723 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 $1,312 per month in Ampang Jaya and $1,085 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 12% 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 $875 in Ampang Jaya and $723 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.