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: $796 in Bintulu versus $777 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bintulu versus $1,228 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Bintulu versus $1,678 in Kuching.

Living in Bintulu is roughly 2% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 40% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.63

$2.80 MYR 11.42

36.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 MYR 71.1

$20.41 MYR 83.3

-14.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$4.59 MYR 18.75

20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.58 MYR 10.52

8.14%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.30 MYR 1.21

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$2.88 MYR 11.76

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$3.74 MYR 15.27

34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-8.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.58

$1.08 MYR 4.42

26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$1.05 MYR 4.30

20.95%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.19 MYR 8.94

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 MYR 68.4

$9.58 MYR 39.13

74.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$3.84 MYR 15.69

-9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$8.22 MYR 33.57

-31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.98 MYR 12.18

-45.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$2.62 MYR 10.70

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-39.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-53.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.24 MYR 5.07

-4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$1.71 MYR 6.97

-60.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$0.52 MYR 2.13

-17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MYR 16.46

$4.19 MYR 17.11

-3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 80.6

$20.46 MYR 83.5

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.72

$3.88 MYR 15.85

-26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$3.41 MYR 13.91

-43.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.23 MYR 0.94

421.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.40 MYR 62.9

$11.80 MYR 48.16

30.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$0.96 MYR 3.93

2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-17.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MYR 9.46

$1.90 MYR 7.77

22.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.50 MYR 2.05

10.00%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

-6.64%

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

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

-0.59%

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

$57.3 MYR 234

$41.82 MYR 171

37.04%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.21

$9.22 MYR 37.66

1.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.91 MYR 122

$25.53 MYR 104

17.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 MYR 266

$29.85 MYR 122

118.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$9.81 MYR 40.04

-39.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$4.64 MYR 18.93

-9.70%

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

$121 MYR 493

$143 MYR 585

-15.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

13.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 251

$66.3 MYR 271

-7.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 MYR 138

$31.34 MYR 128

8.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 312

$87.5 MYR 357

-12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 MYR 362

$71.7 MYR 293

23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MYR 875

$284 MYR 1,159

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MYR 622

$201 MYR 819

-24.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,881

$569 MYR 2,323

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,287

$387 MYR 1,582

-18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MYR 6,956

$2,088 MYR 8,526

-18.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,711

$1,510 MYR 6,166

-23.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MYR 2,455

$530 MYR 2,165

13.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.27

5.39%

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

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Bintulu and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $243 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

Kuching wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Bintulu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuching the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $214 in Bintulu versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Bintulu versus $777 in Kuching – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 31% less than in Bintulu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching 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 Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $777 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.