Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Alor Setar vs $889 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,371 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,852 in Kuching, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 3% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alor Setar and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 34% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 MYR 8.51

$3.53 MYR 14.35

-40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$25.07 MYR 102

-50.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.81

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-16.23%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.80

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-42.69%

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

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.80 MYR 3.24

-33.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MYR 1.28

$0.39 MYR 1.57

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-46.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-27.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-30.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-29.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$1.22 MYR 4.95

38.52%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.30

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-39.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 MYR 64.5

$11.49 MYR 46.74

38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 20.24

$4.44 MYR 18.04

12.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 40.85

$9.68 MYR 39.38

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-27.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.33 MYR 5.43

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.55

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.16

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-31.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.55

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-44.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.55 MYR 2.25

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.91

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.55 MYR 87.7

$21.20 MYR 86.2

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.85

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-40.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.90

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-27.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.63 MYR 2.58

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.8

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-0.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$0.96 MYR 3.90

26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 MYR 27.25

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-24.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-41.18%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

0.48%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-23.03%

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

$51.8 MYR 211

$35.37 MYR 144

46.45%

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

$7.58 MYR 30.85

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-26.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 MYR 89.3

$24.25 MYR 98.7

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 MYR 165

$30.72 MYR 125

32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.03

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-45.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-4.89%

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

$175 MYR 712

$135 MYR 551

29.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-30.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 221

$63.4 MYR 258

-14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 MYR 145

$37.96 MYR 154

-6.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$90.7 MYR 369

-18.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$66.9 MYR 272

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,735

$371 MYR 1,510

14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,367

$240 MYR 977

39.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,895

$648 MYR 2,635

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,055

$454 MYR 1,845

11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,289

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-3.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,146 MYR 4,664

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-26.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 MYR 6,696

$548 MYR 2,229

200.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.37

1.37%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Alor Setar versus $371 in Kuching. 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 200% higher in Alor Setar, 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 $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $25.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $273 – making Alor Setar 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

Alor Setar vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alor Setar costs about 3% more than Kuching, 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 $1,368 per month in Alor Setar and $1,334 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuching, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Alor Setar and $135 in Kuching. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Alor Setar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Alor Setar and $889 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuching costs $889 versus $912 in Alor Setar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kuching. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alor Setar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.