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: $781 in Bintulu versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bintulu versus $1,642 in Kuching.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 14.66

$2.80 MYR 11.08

32.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.73 MYR 70.0

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 MYR 22.40

$4.68 MYR 18.49

21.15%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.07

$2.45 MYR 9.69

14.29%

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

$0.62 MYR 2.44

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.32 MYR 1.27

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.05

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$3.63 MYR 14.33

34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.45

$1.12 MYR 4.43

23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.21

$1.02 MYR 4.03

29.41%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.34

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 65.7

$9.55 MYR 37.72

74.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 MYR 13.17

$3.73 MYR 14.72

-10.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$7.99 MYR 31.56

-27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.36

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-47.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$1.15 MYR 4.54

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.44

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-37.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.11 MYR 4.40

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-58.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.66

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.12

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-3.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 75.5

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.01

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$0.25 MYR 0.99

384.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 MYR 62.6

$11.84 MYR 46.78

33.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.63

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-20.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MYR 9.46

$1.92 MYR 7.60

24.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.47 MYR 1.84

8.51%

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

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-7.18%

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

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

5.32%

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

$57.9 MYR 229

$40.86 MYR 161

41.61%

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

$9.27 MYR 36.61

$9.15 MYR 36.13

1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.53 MYR 117

$25.01 MYR 98.8

18.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 MYR 259

$29.43 MYR 116

123.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.71

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MYR 16.84

$4.72 MYR 18.65

-9.75%

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

$122 MYR 483

$145 MYR 575

-15.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 250

$65.8 MYR 260

-3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 MYR 133

$31.81 MYR 126

5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 MYR 303

$86.1 MYR 340

-10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MYR 353

$71.3 MYR 282

25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 843

$284 MYR 1,123

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 597

$203 MYR 800

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$566 MYR 2,237

-17.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,248

$378 MYR 1,494

-16.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 MYR 7,234

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-12.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 MYR 4,732

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-23.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 MYR 2,525

$554 MYR 2,186

15.48%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Bintulu and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $245 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.

Bintulu pays 15% more on average, 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: $213 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 $781 per month in Bintulu versus $804 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 34% 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 $781 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.