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 $680 per month in Alor Setar vs $774 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,217 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,660 in Kuching, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 12% cheaper than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alor Setar and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 49% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 MYR 9.24

$2.84 MYR 11.28

-17.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.63 MYR 46.11

$20.23 MYR 80.2

-42.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 MYR 16.51

$4.63 MYR 18.35

-10.15%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MYR 6.44

$2.44 MYR 9.68

-33.61%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.06

$0.32 MYR 1.28

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MYR 13.99

$2.76 MYR 10.95

27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.22

$3.56 MYR 14.13

-34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.48

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 MYR 3.52

$1.12 MYR 4.45

-20.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.77

$1.03 MYR 4.08

16.50%

Eggs

$1.50 MYR 5.96

$2.17 MYR 8.60

-30.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 MYR 46.62

$9.74 MYR 38.62

20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$3.90 MYR 15.45

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 MYR 32.79

$8.04 MYR 31.86

2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$3.11 MYR 12.35

-7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$1.11 MYR 4.39

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.47

$2.58 MYR 10.22

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.29

$1.78 MYR 7.04

17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.50

$1.14 MYR 4.52

-22.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$1.17 MYR 4.66

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.53 MYR 2.11

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MYR 11.13

$4.14 MYR 16.42

-32.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 MYR 76.8

$21.39 MYR 84.8

-9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$3.87 MYR 15.34

-70.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MYR 8.32

$3.50 MYR 13.89

-40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.25 MYR 0.99

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.63

$11.64 MYR 46.14

1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.91 MYR 3.60

-18.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MYR 2.16

$1.14 MYR 4.53

-51.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 MYR 28.68

$1.83 MYR 7.27

295.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-6.12%

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

$33.8K MYR 134.0K

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

-24.90%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.8K

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

-22.47%

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

$39.16 MYR 155

$41.77 MYR 166

-6.25%

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

$7.01 MYR 27.80

$8.95 MYR 35.50

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 MYR 108

$25.07 MYR 99.4

8.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.34 MYR 144

$29.40 MYR 117

23.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.33 MYR 37.00

$9.60 MYR 38.08

-2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$4.73 MYR 18.77

-41.65%

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

$83.4 MYR 331

$143 MYR 569

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

-13.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.55 MYR 185

$65.9 MYR 261

-29.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 MYR 114

$31.95 MYR 127

-10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 246

$85.9 MYR 340

-27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 208

$73.0 MYR 289

-28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 MYR 1,185

$276 MYR 1,093

8.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MYR 675

$201 MYR 798

-15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 MYR 1,752

$566 MYR 2,243

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,328

$387 MYR 1,536

-13.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 MYR 7,582

$2,159 MYR 8,560

-11.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 MYR 3,569

$1,568 MYR 6,219

-42.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,649 MYR 6,536

$555 MYR 2,201

197.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.27

-2.58%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $299 in Alor Setar versus $276 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 197% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $20.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $246 – 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

Kuching costs about 14% more than Alor Setar, 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 $1,021 per month in Alor Setar and $1,161 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $83.4 per month in Alor Setar and $143 in Kuching. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kuching, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Alor Setar and $774 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $774 in Kuching. 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 Alor Setar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuching makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.