Cost of Living Comparison Between Manaus and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Manaus and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Manaus versus $927 in Setia Alam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,315 in Manaus versus $1,385 in Setia Alam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in Manaus versus $1,842 in Setia Alam.

Living in Manaus costs roughly 9% less than in Setia Alam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manaus 37% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 R$28.04

$4.59 MYR 18.31

20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 R$126

$23.15 MYR 92.4

7.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 R$31.46

$4.84 MYR 19.32

28.51%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.49

$3.13 MYR 12.50

-33.87%

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

$0.98 R$4.96

$0.89 MYR 3.56

10.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 R$3.64

$0.37 MYR 1.47

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 R$12.62

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-41.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 R$24.90

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.46

$1.80 MYR 7.16

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.24

$0.68 MYR 2.72

110.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.65

$0.98 MYR 3.91

14.29%

Eggs

$2.06 R$10.44

$1.73 MYR 6.91

19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 R$48.34

$4.62 MYR 18.44

106.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 R$18.21

$3.92 MYR 15.63

-8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 R$33.54

$9.45 MYR 37.69

-29.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R$10.82

$1.32 MYR 5.29

62.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.04

$1.59 MYR 6.34

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.29 MYR 5.14

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 R$9.45

$1.43 MYR 5.71

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.67

$1.23 MYR 4.93

-8.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.27 MYR 5.07

-13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.50

$0.61 MYR 2.42

13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.12

$0.56 MYR 2.24

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 R$17.73

$4.06 MYR 16.20

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 R$44.39

$19.94 MYR 79.6

-56.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.94

$3.23 MYR 12.90

-57.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.75

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-50.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.73 MYR 2.89

13.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.30 R$184

$11.93 MYR 47.61

204.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R$4.65

$1.16 MYR 4.64

-20.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.55

$1.14 MYR 4.54

-38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 R$44.16

$4.62 MYR 18.42

88.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.06

$0.48 MYR 1.90

150.00%

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

$19.9K R$100.9K

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

-49.30%

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

$22.6K R$114.6K

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

-29.72%

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

$106 R$536

$58.1 MYR 232

82.53%

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

$14.29 R$72.3

$10.59 MYR 42.26

34.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.49 R$119

$25.89 MYR 103

-9.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 R$115

$55.8 MYR 223

-59.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.69 R$115

$2.35 MYR 9.37

865.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 R$29.42

$5.11 MYR 20.39

13.70%

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

$205 R$1,039

$193 MYR 769

6.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,610 R$23.3K

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

-51.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 R$233

$61.3 MYR 245

-24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 R$150

$24.70 MYR 98.6

19.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 R$279

$84.5 MYR 337

-34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$325

$52.0 MYR 208

23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 R$1,973

$496 MYR 1,979

-21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 R$1,192

$309 MYR 1,233

-23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 R$3,359

$815 MYR 3,252

-18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 R$2,494

$524 MYR 2,091

-5.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 R$8,918

$1,965 MYR 7,840

-10.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,348 R$6,820

$991 MYR 3,955

35.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 R$2,617

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-56.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.83

4.12

138.59%

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

Last update for Manaus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Manaus and $496 in Setia Alam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 128% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Manaus vs $23.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $206, with Manaus cheaper for home cooking.

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

Manaus vs Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Setia Alam earns 128% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $390 in Manaus versus $496 in Setia Alam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Setia Alam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $23.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $848 in Manaus versus $927 in Setia Alam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Setia Alam. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manaus and Setia Alam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.