Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 20% less than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$2.80 MYR 11.08

-33.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 MYR 80.0

$20.00 MYR 79.0

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.09

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-18.38%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$2.45 MYR 9.69

-4.90%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.32 MYR 1.27

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$2.89 MYR 11.43

4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MYR 18.71

$3.63 MYR 14.33

30.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.63

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.12 MYR 4.43

0.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MYR 2.41

$1.02 MYR 4.03

-40.20%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.34

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.05 MYR 87.1

$9.55 MYR 37.72

130.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.27

$3.73 MYR 14.72

30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.64

$7.99 MYR 31.56

31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.27

$3.08 MYR 12.18

25.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$1.15 MYR 4.54

53.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.41

$2.62 MYR 10.36

29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$1.81 MYR 7.15

41.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$1.11 MYR 4.40

54.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-38.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 MYR 76.0

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 16.70

$3.84 MYR 15.18

10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-26.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.25 MYR 0.99

188.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$11.84 MYR 46.78

0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.11 MYR 4.38

3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$1.92 MYR 7.60

117.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-4.34%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-13.44%

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

$26.25 MYR 104

$40.86 MYR 161

-35.76%

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

$9.95 MYR 39.29

$9.15 MYR 36.13

8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 112

$25.01 MYR 98.8

13.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 143

$29.43 MYR 116

23.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.72

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$4.72 MYR 18.65

-8.90%

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

$117 MYR 461

$145 MYR 575

-19.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

-29.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.96 MYR 47.25

$65.8 MYR 260

-81.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 MYR 249

$31.81 MYR 126

97.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.31 MYR 92.1

$86.1 MYR 340

-72.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MYR 316

$71.3 MYR 282

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,514

$284 MYR 1,123

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 MYR 233

$203 MYR 800

-70.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,556

$566 MYR 2,237

14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$378 MYR 1,494

23.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,853

$554 MYR 2,186

76.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.27

-7.26%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Bukit Mertajam and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $245, with Kuching cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bukit Mertajam vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Kuching differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($639 vs $804 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 76% 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: $383 in Bukit Mertajam versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $20.00 in Kuching. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $804 in Kuching – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $804 in Kuching, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Kuching. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Kuching. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.