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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Calamba is about 18% cheaper than Ampang Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 ₱224

$3.45 MYR 14.12

5.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.16 ₱810

$18.78 MYR 76.8

-29.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.58 ₱159

$4.82 MYR 19.72

-46.47%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₱147

$2.96 MYR 12.09

-19.26%

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

$0.65 ₱40.01

$0.80 MYR 3.26

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱24.98

$0.46 MYR 1.86

-10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ₱64.6

$3.52 MYR 14.40

-70.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱123

$5.78 MYR 23.63

-65.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱115

$1.80 MYR 7.35

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.1

$0.95 MYR 3.89

25.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.25 MYR 5.12

-12.00%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱141

$2.18 MYR 8.94

5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 ₱578

$10.77 MYR 44.07

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₱235

$3.40 MYR 13.89

12.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 ₱516

$6.29 MYR 25.72

33.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₱164

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-26.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₱115

$1.50 MYR 6.13

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱146

$1.80 MYR 7.34

31.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.4

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱112

$1.13 MYR 4.62

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.39 MYR 5.67

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱42.08

$0.90 MYR 3.68

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.36

$0.56 MYR 2.30

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱207

$4.11 MYR 16.81

-18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 ₱540

$19.62 MYR 80.3

-55.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱63.8

$2.66 MYR 10.87

-60.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$3.87 MYR 15.82

-39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.88

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 47.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.02 MYR 4.17

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$0.98 MYR 4.03

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ₱149

$8.72 MYR 35.65

-72.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.8

$0.46 MYR 1.89

150.00%

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

$32.0K ₱2.0M

$48.7K MYR 199.2K

-34.30%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$37.9K MYR 155.2K

-45.58%

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

$147 ₱9,069

$40.70 MYR 166

261.92%

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

$34.10 ₱2,099

$9.16 MYR 37.47

272.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 ₱1,600

$23.11 MYR 94.5

12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.44 ₱2,120

$34.99 MYR 143

-1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ₱281

$5.82 MYR 23.80

-21.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱348

$4.97 MYR 20.32

13.68%

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

$153 ₱9,390

$209 MYR 853

-26.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,800 ₱295.5K

$6,853 MYR 28.0K

-29.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 ₱3,058

$64.9 MYR 265

-23.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.12 ₱1,670

$29.87 MYR 122

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 ₱4,605

$72.1 MYR 295

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.97 ₱2,892

$48.14 MYR 197

-2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₱7,616

$383 MYR 1,567

-67.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.2 ₱4,998

$283 MYR 1,157

-71.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₱36.4K

$1,012 MYR 4,138

-41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$458 MYR 1,874

-13.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 MYR 9,695

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 MYR 5,177

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 ₱15.9K

$866 MYR 3,542

-70.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.49

0.22%

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

Last update for Calamba: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Calamba versus $383 in Ampang Jaya. 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 $13.00 in Calamba versus $19.00 in Ampang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $226 – 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,045 per month in Calamba and $1,266 in Ampang Jaya. 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 $13.00 in Calamba and $19.00 in Ampang Jaya. 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 $696 in Calamba and $844 in Ampang Jaya, 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.