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 $982 per month in Setia Alam vs $533 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,469 per month in Setia Alam vs $948 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,956 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,363 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Setia Alam costs about 84% more than Nueva Ecija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Setia Alam and Nueva Ecija are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 29% lower, Nueva Ecija 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$4.05 ₱254

20.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$16.70 ₱1,044

46.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$2.85 ₱178

69.12%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$1.47 ₱92.0

119.73%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$0.59 ₱36.93

33.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.32 ₱19.99

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$1.02 ₱63.9

348.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$1.63 ₱102

276.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$1.63 ₱102

13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$0.94 ₱58.8

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$0.97 ₱60.4

9.28%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$1.61 ₱100

11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$5.11 ₱320

-0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$3.44 ₱215

24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$5.66 ₱354

70.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$2.20 ₱138

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$0.75 ₱47.18

153.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$1.76 ₱110

-22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$1.05 ₱65.6

45.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$1.75 ₱110

-20.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$1.78 ₱112

-24.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$0.62 ₱39.09

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.43 ₱26.67

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$2.30 ₱144

88.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$4.47 ₱280

334.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$0.98 ₱61.4

259.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$2.09 ₱131

132.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.27 ₱16.73

162.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$5.57 ₱348

118.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.69 ₱42.90

84.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.16 ₱9.89

693.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$1.01 ₱63.1

393.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$0.91 ₱57.1

-27.47%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$15.9K ₱995.8K

161.47%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

76.60%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$81.6 ₱5,104

-22.77%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$17.39 ₱1,088

-47.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$18.68 ₱1,168

42.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$29.61 ₱1,852

93.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$4.93 ₱309

32.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$4.43 ₱277

19.86%

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

$176 MYR 711

$135 ₱8,420

30.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$10.7K ₱670.8K

3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$28.67 ₱1,793

156.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$19.79 ₱1,237

29.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$73.0 ₱4,563

24.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$55.7 ₱3,485

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$117 ₱7,308

358.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$67.6 ₱4,229

367.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$176 ₱11.0K

396.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$348 ₱21.7K

58.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$2,596 ₱162.4K

-20.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$1,161 ₱72.6K

-4.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$188 ₱11.8K

510.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

6.75

-38.96%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Setia Alam versus $117 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 511% 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 $17.00 in Nueva Ecija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $148 – making Nueva Ecija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 84% more than Nueva Ecija, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,472 per month in Setia Alam and $800 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 $17.00 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 $982 in Setia Alam and $533 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 $533, than in Setia Alam at $982. 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.