Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Nueva Ecija Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Nueva Ecija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $918 per month in Setia Alam vs $656 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,080 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,504 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Setia Alam costs about 40% more than Nueva Ecija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Setia Alam and Nueva Ecija are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 31% lower, Nueva Ecija 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$4.32 ₱266

6.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 MYR 97.4

$34.99 ₱2,154

-31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$3.27 ₱202

43.12%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.20

$1.39 ₱85.8

114.39%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.75 ₱46.40

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.34 ₱20.78

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$0.86 ₱52.8

403.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 MYR 24.63

$2.28 ₱140

164.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$2.96 ₱182

-40.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.04 ₱64.0

-32.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.00 ₱61.4

-2.00%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$1.70 ₱105

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$8.13 ₱500

-41.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 MYR 16.33

$3.75 ₱231

6.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MYR 38.95

$6.22 ₱383

53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

$4.18 ₱257

-68.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.42

$0.78 ₱47.83

101.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.88 ₱116

-28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.86 ₱114

-25.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.65 ₱102

-26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$2.20 ₱135

-39.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MYR 2.34

$2.39 ₱147

-76.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.51 ₱31.42

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$2.44 ₱150

72.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 MYR 78.2

$4.38 ₱270

336.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$1.38 ₱85.0

132.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 17.24

$2.44 ₱150

72.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.30 ₱18.28

143.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 MYR 47.92

$6.18 ₱380

89.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$0.84 ₱51.6

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$0.22 ₱13.52

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$1.18 ₱72.6

291.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.95 ₱58.8

-47.37%

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

$18.0K ₱1.1M

125.63%

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

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

$23.4K ₱1.4M

37.49%

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

$59.1 MYR 242

$87.8 ₱5,406

-32.73%

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

$10.73 MYR 43.87

$32.30 ₱1,989

-66.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.60 MYR 105

$20.32 ₱1,251

25.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 MYR 224

$34.02 ₱2,094

61.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$4.44 ₱274

-46.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.62

$5.08 ₱313

-0.79%

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

$196 MYR 800

$151 ₱9,291

29.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

$4,361 ₱268.5K

118.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 244

$46.26 ₱2,848

29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 MYR 102

$34.16 ₱2,103

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 352

$67.7 ₱4,168

27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$116 ₱7,145

-53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$126 ₱7,754

293.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,247

$74.5 ₱4,584

309.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MYR 3,422

$197 ₱12.1K

325.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,185

$141 ₱8,671

279.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,300

$2,433 ₱149.8K

-16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 MYR 4,806

$1,072 ₱66.0K

9.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,149 MYR 4,698

$197 ₱12.1K

482.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

6.17

-33.23%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Setia Alam versus $126 in Nueva Ecija. 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 483% higher in Setia Alam, 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam versus $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Setia Alam vs $201 in Nueva Ecija – so Nueva Ecija wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nueva Ecija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setia Alam costs about 40% more than Nueva Ecija, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Setia Alam and $984 in Nueva Ecija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nueva Ecija, 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam and $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $918 in Setia Alam and $656 in Nueva Ecija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Setia Alam at $918. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setia Alam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nueva Ecija – 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 Nueva Ecija. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Setia Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.