Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Bintulu versus $870 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Bintulu versus $1,398 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,824 in Bintulu versus $1,926 in Kuching.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 3% less than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 38% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 MYR 15.88

$3.40 MYR 13.86

14.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.6

$24.39 MYR 99.5

-24.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 MYR 23.57

$4.95 MYR 20.18

16.77%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$3.21 MYR 13.10

-7.79%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$0.75 MYR 3.08

-14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$0.36 MYR 1.47

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.94

$4.77 MYR 19.44

-38.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.93

$6.11 MYR 24.94

-16.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$2.38 MYR 9.72

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.27 MYR 5.17

7.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.17 MYR 4.76

12.82%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.90

$2.49 MYR 10.18

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.92 MYR 69.0

$11.41 MYR 46.56

48.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 24.20

$9.75 MYR 39.78

-39.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$3.16 MYR 12.89

-47.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$1.34 MYR 5.47

-24.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.47 MYR 10.09

-32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-35.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$1.34 MYR 5.48

-61.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.15 MYR 4.69

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-53.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$0.54 MYR 2.22

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$4.73 MYR 19.31

-11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$22.31 MYR 91.0

-13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$4.11 MYR 16.78

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$5.13 MYR 20.94

-62.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.58 MYR 2.38

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MYR 65.9

$12.49 MYR 50.9

29.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.94 MYR 3.82

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.77

$8.44 MYR 34.45

-71.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$0.81 MYR 3.31

-27.16%

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

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

$41.2K MYR 167.9K

9.35%

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

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

$36.5K MYR 148.9K

6.41%

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

$59.7 MYR 244

$35.66 MYR 145

67.41%

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

$31.36 MYR 128

$10.22 MYR 41.70

206.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 128

$25.15 MYR 103

24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MYR 281

$29.90 MYR 122

130.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$12.21 MYR 49.83

0.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MYR 18.22

$5.05 MYR 20.60

-11.49%

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

$129 MYR 528

$136 MYR 553

-4.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

3.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 270

$63.9 MYR 261

3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 MYR 143

$37.13 MYR 151

-5.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 325

$89.5 MYR 365

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 MYR 374

$64.5 MYR 263

42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MYR 892

$360 MYR 1,467

-39.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MYR 632

$242 MYR 987

-35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,988

$642 MYR 2,620

-24.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MYR 1,378

$475 MYR 1,938

-28.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MYR 7,035

$2,104 MYR 8,582

-18.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$1,527 MYR 6,228

-25.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,458

$536 MYR 2,186

12.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.37

2.97%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bintulu and $360 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $24.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $274 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

Bintulu vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Kuching. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Bintulu, 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: $219 in Bintulu versus $360 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Bintulu versus $870 in Kuching – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 29% less than in Kuching. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Kuching 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Kuching. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.