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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Cagayan de Oro City vs $680 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Cagayan de Oro City vs $1,049 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Cagayan de Oro City vs $1,417 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Cagayan de Oro City costs about 10% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cagayan de Oro City and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower, Alor Setar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 ₱226

$2.33 MYR 9.30

57.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.04 ₱866

$11.63 MYR 46.40

20.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₱212

$4.16 MYR 16.61

-17.31%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱162

$1.62 MYR 6.48

61.73%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.51 MYR 2.04

88.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.13

$0.27 MYR 1.07

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$3.53 MYR 14.08

-58.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₱153

$2.32 MYR 9.28

6.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱102

$1.63 MYR 6.52

1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱60.4

$0.89 MYR 3.54

10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.3

$1.20 MYR 4.80

-18.33%

Eggs

$2.40 ₱148

$1.50 MYR 6.00

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 ₱375

$11.76 MYR 46.91

-48.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱215

$3.12 MYR 12.44

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 ₱397

$8.27 MYR 33.00

-22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₱139

$2.89 MYR 11.55

-22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.9

$1.04 MYR 4.14

8.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.38 MYR 5.51

65.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$2.09 MYR 8.34

-41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱139

$0.88 MYR 3.52

156.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ₱172

$0.54 MYR 2.14

416.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$0.68 MYR 2.72

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱31.19

$0.46 MYR 1.82

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₱148

$2.81 MYR 11.20

-14.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.95 ₱244

$19.36 MYR 77.2

-79.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱82.9

$1.16 MYR 4.64

15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱96.3

$2.10 MYR 8.38

-25.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₱25.25

$0.69 MYR 2.77

-40.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.72 ₱538

$11.76 MYR 46.93

-25.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.75

$0.74 MYR 2.96

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$0.55 MYR 2.18

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$7.23 MYR 28.86

-69.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$0.46 MYR 1.85

147.83%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$33.8K MYR 134.8K

-40.21%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$27.9K MYR 111.5K

-32.46%

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

$105 ₱6,476

$39.16 MYR 156

168.00%

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

$40.33 ₱2,488

$7.01 MYR 27.98

475.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.47 ₱2,065

$27.13 MYR 108

23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 ₱1,363

$36.34 MYR 145

-39.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.27 ₱202

$9.33 MYR 37.23

-64.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₱285

$2.76 MYR 11.02

67.39%

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

$190 ₱11.7K

$83.4 MYR 333

128.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,462 ₱151.9K

$5,240 MYR 20.9K

-53.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.46 ₱2,188

$46.55 MYR 186

-23.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.51 ₱895

$28.70 MYR 115

-49.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 ₱3,623

$62.1 MYR 248

-5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 ₱2,644

$52.5 MYR 210

-18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₱22.3K

$299 MYR 1,193

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$170 MYR 679

25.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.8K

$442 MYR 1,763

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₱23.7K

$335 MYR 1,337

14.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,668 ₱102.9K

$1,912 MYR 7,629

-12.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₱61.4K

$900 MYR 3,592

10.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 ₱19.3K

$1,649 MYR 6,578

-80.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.16

60.34%

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

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $299 in Alor Setar. 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 426% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Cagayan de Oro City vs $209 in Alor Setar – 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

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

Cagayan de Oro City costs about 10% more than Alor Setar, 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 $1,125 per month in Cagayan de Oro City and $1,021 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Cagayan de Oro City and $83.4 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $750 in Cagayan de Oro City and $680 in Alor Setar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $750 in Cagayan de Oro City. 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 Alor Setar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cagayan de Oro City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.