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

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

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

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 14% more expensive than in Manaus, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$5.85 R$29.83

-16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$27.00 R$138

-9.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$6.71 R$34.20

-28.17%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$2.20 R$11.24

46.82%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$1.07 R$5.47

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.78 R$3.98

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$2.77 R$14.15

64.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$5.34 R$27.25

14.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$1.43 R$7.27

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$1.57 R$8.03

-50.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.18 R$6.04

-10.17%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$2.68 R$13.67

-33.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$9.72 R$49.59

-47.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$3.77 R$19.23

13.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$7.21 R$36.76

33.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$2.30 R$11.74

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.58 R$8.03

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$1.36 R$6.96

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$1.96 R$9.97

-21.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$1.22 R$6.22

13.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$1.13 R$5.78

19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$0.79 R$4.05

-20.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.64 R$3.29

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$3.51 R$17.90

23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$8.87 R$45.22

118.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$1.45 R$7.37

142.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$1.61 R$8.22

201.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.90 R$4.61

-21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$37.60 R$192

-67.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.93 R$4.75

36.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.83 R$4.23

53.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$9.50 R$48.47

-47.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$1.32 R$6.73

-50.00%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$22.8K R$116.0K

83.01%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$31.8K R$161.9K

9.73%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$114 R$582

-44.74%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$15.39 R$78.5

-40.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$24.62 R$126

7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$24.36 R$124

134.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$24.55 R$125

-73.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$6.19 R$31.54

-14.22%

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

$176 MYR 711

$221 R$1,129

-20.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$5,023 R$25.6K

121.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$50.2 R$256

46.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$31.61 R$161

-18.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$57.4 R$293

58.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$68.8 R$351

-19.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$614 R$3,133

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$209 R$1,064

51.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$917 R$4,678

-4.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$483 R$2,464

13.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$1,695 R$8,642

21.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$1,298 R$6,620

-14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$509 R$2,594

126.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.33

-60.12%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manaus: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Setia Alam and $614 in Manaus. 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: $24.00 in Setia Alam vs $27.00 in Manaus. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $196, 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 126% higher in Setia Alam, 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: $536 in Setia Alam versus $614 in Manaus. 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, 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 14% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.