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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 9% more expensive than Manaus, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MYR 18.31

$5.54 R$28.04

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 MYR 92.4

$24.86 R$126

-6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.32

$6.22 R$31.46

-22.19%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.50

$2.07 R$10.49

51.21%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.56

$0.98 R$4.96

-9.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.47

$0.72 R$3.64

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.99

$2.49 R$12.62

71.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MYR 22.91

$4.92 R$24.90

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.16

$1.28 R$6.46

40.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$1.43 R$7.24

-52.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.91

$1.12 R$5.65

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$2.06 R$10.44

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.44

$9.55 R$48.34

-51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 MYR 15.63

$3.60 R$18.21

8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 37.69

$6.63 R$33.54

42.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.29

$2.14 R$10.82

-38.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.34

$1.59 R$8.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.14

$1.29 R$6.54

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.71

$1.87 R$9.45

-23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.93

$1.12 R$5.67

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.07

$1.10 R$5.59

15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$0.69 R$3.50

-11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.24

$0.62 R$3.12

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.20

$3.50 R$17.73

16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 MYR 79.6

$8.77 R$44.39

127.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 MYR 12.90

$1.37 R$6.94

135.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.05

$2.12 R$10.75

101.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.83 R$4.20

-12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 47.61

$36.30 R$184

-67.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$0.92 R$4.65

26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$0.70 R$3.55

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.42

$8.73 R$44.16

-47.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$1.20 R$6.06

-60.00%

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

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

$19.9K R$100.9K

97.22%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

$22.6K R$114.6K

42.29%

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

$58.1 MYR 232

$106 R$536

-45.22%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.26

$14.29 R$72.3

-25.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 MYR 103

$23.49 R$119

10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MYR 223

$22.68 R$115

145.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 MYR 9.37

$22.69 R$115

-89.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 MYR 20.39

$5.81 R$29.42

-12.05%

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

$193 MYR 769

$205 R$1,039

-6.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

$4,610 R$23.3K

107.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 245

$46.00 R$233

33.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 MYR 98.6

$29.63 R$150

-16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 337

$55.2 R$279

53.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 208

$64.2 R$325

-18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 1,979

$390 R$1,973

27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,233

$236 R$1,192

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 MYR 3,252

$664 R$3,359

22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MYR 2,091

$493 R$2,494

6.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 MYR 7,840

$1,763 R$8,918

11.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,955

$1,348 R$6,820

-26.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 MYR 4,708

$517 R$2,617

128.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

9.83

-58.09%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Manaus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Setia Alam and $390 in Manaus. 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: $23.00 in Setia Alam vs $25.00 in Manaus. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $185, 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

Setia Alam vs Manaus: 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.

Setia Alam pays 128% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $496 in Setia Alam versus $390 in Manaus. 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, Setia Alam and Manaus 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.