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

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

A family of three spends $1,636 per month in Calamba vs $1,696 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

Calamba is about 17% cheaper than Ampang Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Calamba and Ampang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Calamba 46% lower, Ampang Jaya 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱221

$3.56 MYR 14.10

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.48 ₱831

$19.17 MYR 76.0

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.58 ₱159

$4.83 MYR 19.16

-46.58%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$2.92 MYR 11.59

-19.52%

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

$0.69 ₱42.53

$0.81 MYR 3.20

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.83

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱61.9

$3.59 MYR 14.25

-72.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$5.75 MYR 22.80

-65.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱114

$1.78 MYR 7.08

3.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.00 MYR 3.98

21.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.30 MYR 5.17

-16.92%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱136

$2.28 MYR 9.06

-3.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 ₱582

$10.58 MYR 41.96

-10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₱229

$3.55 MYR 14.06

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 ₱535

$6.21 MYR 24.61

39.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.65 MYR 14.49

-25.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₱110

$1.49 MYR 5.92

19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱146

$1.86 MYR 7.37

26.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.26 MYR 5.00

-3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱113

$1.15 MYR 4.55

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.32 MYR 5.23

65.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱42.15

$0.91 MYR 3.62

-25.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.33

$0.56 MYR 2.21

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱203

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-21.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 ₱534

$20.40 MYR 80.9

-57.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱63.3

$2.68 MYR 10.64

-61.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$3.77 MYR 14.97

-37.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.98

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-62.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 MYR 46.08

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.8

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$1.02 MYR 4.05

-78.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₱149

$8.85 MYR 35.11

-72.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$0.49 MYR 1.96

128.57%

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

$31.3K ₱1.9M

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

-35.91%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$38.4K MYR 152.1K

-47.64%

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

$144 ₱8,890

$41.59 MYR 165

246.67%

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

$34.60 ₱2,134

$8.95 MYR 35.50

286.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 ₱1,632

$22.86 MYR 90.7

15.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.99 ₱2,096

$35.43 MYR 140

-4.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱272

$5.78 MYR 22.93

-23.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 ₱358

$4.93 MYR 19.53

17.65%

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

$153 ₱9,416

$209 MYR 828

-26.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,663 ₱287.5K

$6,969 MYR 27.6K

-33.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 ₱3,043

$65.2 MYR 258

-24.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.02 ₱1,728

$29.95 MYR 119

-6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,718

$74.2 MYR 294

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 ₱2,926

$49.27 MYR 195

-3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₱7,577

$390 MYR 1,546

-68.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.2 ₱4,882

$283 MYR 1,120

-71.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₱36.2K

$995 MYR 3,945

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$455 MYR 1,805

-14.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 ₱166.2K

$1,749 MYR 6,936

54.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 ₱61.6K

$1,103 MYR 4,373

-9.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 ₱15.8K

$858 MYR 3,400

-70.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $123 in Calamba versus $390 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 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 $13.00 in Calamba versus $19.00 in Ampang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $229 – 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: $723 in Calamba, $875 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 $1,085 per month in Calamba and $1,312 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 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 $723 in Calamba and $875 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.