Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Butterworth vs $804 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Butterworth vs $1,223 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,747 per month in Butterworth vs $1,642 in Kuching, rent included.

Butterworth costs about 6% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Butterworth and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 37% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 11.75

$2.80 MYR 11.08

6.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.48 MYR 84.8

$20.00 MYR 79.0

7.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$4.68 MYR 18.49

0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.18

$2.45 MYR 9.69

15.51%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.32 MYR 1.27

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 MYR 16.31

$2.89 MYR 11.43

42.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 17.56

$3.63 MYR 14.33

22.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.42

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.89

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.80

$1.02 MYR 4.03

68.63%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.44

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 MYR 57.2

$9.55 MYR 37.72

51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 MYR 18.16

$3.73 MYR 14.72

23.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.18

$7.99 MYR 31.56

17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.47

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-5.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.73

$1.15 MYR 4.54

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.60

$2.62 MYR 10.36

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.80

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-18.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$1.11 MYR 4.40

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.80

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MYR 3.62

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-47.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.09

$4.22 MYR 16.67

2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 74.9

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-12.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.30

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.23

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$0.25 MYR 0.99

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.96 MYR 47.24

$11.84 MYR 46.78

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-25.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-52.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 MYR 18.94

$1.92 MYR 7.60

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

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

$33.3K MYR 131.7K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-27.66%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-23.67%

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

$39.29 MYR 155

$40.86 MYR 161

-3.84%

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

$9.99 MYR 39.46

$9.15 MYR 36.13

9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MYR 101

$25.01 MYR 98.8

2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 MYR 144

$29.43 MYR 116

23.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 23.92

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-38.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MYR 19.99

$4.72 MYR 18.65

7.20%

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

$240 MYR 950

$145 MYR 575

65.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,261 MYR 24.7K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

1.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 214

$65.8 MYR 260

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.44 MYR 116

$31.81 MYR 126

-7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 240

$86.1 MYR 340

-29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 MYR 211

$71.3 MYR 282

-25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,549

$284 MYR 1,123

37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,052

$203 MYR 800

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$566 MYR 2,237

13.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,835

$378 MYR 1,494

22.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 MYR 5,010

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-39.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 MYR 4,073

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-33.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 MYR 3,915

$554 MYR 2,186

79.05%

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 Butterworth: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Butterworth versus $284 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 79% higher in Butterworth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Butterworth versus $20.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $245 – making Kuching 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

Butterworth vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $850 in Butterworth, $804 in Kuching – roughly 6% apart. Butterworth costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,275 per month in Butterworth and $1,206 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $850 in Butterworth and $804 in Kuching. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Kuching. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $850 in Butterworth and $804 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $804 in Kuching to $850 in Butterworth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kuching. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Butterworth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.