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: $860 in Manaus versus $982 in Setia Alam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Manaus versus $1,469 in Setia Alam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,856 in Manaus versus $1,956 in Setia Alam.

Living in Manaus costs roughly 12% less than in Setia Alam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manaus 37% lower, Setia Alam 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.85 R$29.83

$4.87 MYR 19.64

20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.00 R$138

$24.49 MYR 98.8

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 R$34.20

$4.82 MYR 19.44

39.21%

Cappuccino

$2.20 R$11.24

$3.23 MYR 13.05

-31.89%

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

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.79 MYR 3.20

35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$3.98

$0.46 MYR 1.85

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 R$14.15

$4.57 MYR 18.45

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 R$27.25

$6.13 MYR 24.71

-12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 R$7.27

$1.85 MYR 7.45

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 R$8.03

$0.77 MYR 3.10

103.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.04

$1.06 MYR 4.28

11.32%

Eggs

$2.68 R$13.67

$1.79 MYR 7.23

49.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 R$49.59

$5.06 MYR 20.42

92.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 R$19.23

$4.29 MYR 17.30

-12.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.76

$9.65 MYR 38.94

-25.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.74

$1.38 MYR 5.56

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.03

$1.90 MYR 7.68

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.96

$1.37 MYR 5.53

-0.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.97

$1.53 MYR 6.18

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.22

$1.39 MYR 5.61

-12.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.78

$1.35 MYR 5.43

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.05

$0.63 MYR 2.56

25.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.29

$0.56 MYR 2.27

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 R$17.90

$4.34 MYR 17.52

-19.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 R$45.22

$19.41 MYR 78.3

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 R$7.37

$3.52 MYR 14.19

-58.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R$8.22

$4.86 MYR 19.59

-66.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 R$4.61

$0.71 MYR 2.86

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.60 R$192

$12.15 MYR 49.01

209.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.27 MYR 5.11

-26.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.23

$1.27 MYR 5.11

-34.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 R$48.47

$4.98 MYR 20.11

90.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.73

$0.66 MYR 2.65

100.00%

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

$22.8K R$116.0K

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

-45.36%

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

$31.8K R$161.9K

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

-8.87%

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

$114 R$582

$63.0 MYR 254

80.98%

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

$15.39 R$78.5

$9.14 MYR 36.86

68.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.62 R$126

$26.57 MYR 107

-7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.36 R$124

$57.2 MYR 231

-57.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.55 R$125

$6.53 MYR 26.33

275.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 R$31.54

$5.31 MYR 21.42

16.57%

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

$221 R$1,129

$176 MYR 711

25.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,023 R$25.6K

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

-54.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R$256

$73.6 MYR 297

-31.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.61 R$161

$25.69 MYR 104

23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 R$293

$91.0 MYR 367

-36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 R$351

$55.4 MYR 223

24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 R$3,133

$536 MYR 2,163

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 R$1,064

$316 MYR 1,277

-34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 R$4,678

$873 MYR 3,521

5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 R$2,464

$550 MYR 2,219

-12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,695 R$8,642

$2,066 MYR 8,335

-17.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,298 R$6,620

$1,112 MYR 4,487

16.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 R$2,594

$1,151 MYR 4,643

-55.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

4.12

150.73%

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

Last update for Manaus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Manaus and $536 in Setia Alam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 126% 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: $27.00 in Manaus vs $24.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $217, 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Setia Alam. 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: $614 in Manaus versus $536 in Setia Alam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $27.00 versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $860 in Manaus versus $982 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 14% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.