Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Cheras vs $804 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Cheras vs $1,223 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cheras vs $1,642 in Kuching, rent included.

Cheras costs about 4% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$2.80 MYR 11.08

29.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 MYR 73.8

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-6.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.07

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$2.45 MYR 9.69

17.55%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.30

$0.75 MYR 2.94

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.32 MYR 1.27

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 MYR 18.41

$2.89 MYR 11.43

61.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 MYR 25.60

$3.63 MYR 14.33

78.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.02 MYR 4.03

20.59%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 MYR 61.4

$9.55 MYR 37.72

62.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.16

$3.73 MYR 14.72

-4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 MYR 29.79

$7.99 MYR 31.56

-5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.46

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-13.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.15 MYR 4.54

51.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.12

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$1.11 MYR 4.40

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.24 MYR 4.89

7.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-49.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.53 MYR 2.10

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.66

$4.22 MYR 16.67

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 MYR 57.3

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MYR 15.58

$3.47 MYR 13.71

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.25 MYR 0.99

84.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.73

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.01

$0.98 MYR 3.88

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-9.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.22

$1.92 MYR 7.60

390.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.47 MYR 1.84

-2.13%

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

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

7.56%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-12.93%

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

$40.52 MYR 160

$40.86 MYR 161

-0.83%

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

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$9.15 MYR 36.13

0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 MYR 120

$25.01 MYR 98.8

21.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 162

$29.43 MYR 116

39.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.19

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-40.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$4.72 MYR 18.65

7.63%

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

$187 MYR 738

$145 MYR 575

28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 261

$65.8 MYR 260

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 135

$31.81 MYR 126

7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$86.1 MYR 340

-13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.12 MYR 190

$71.3 MYR 282

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,489

$284 MYR 1,123

32.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 913

$203 MYR 800

14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,571

$566 MYR 2,237

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,693

$378 MYR 1,494

13.36%

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)

$1,233 MYR 4,871

$554 MYR 2,186

122.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Cheras: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Cheras 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 123% higher in Cheras, 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 $19.00 in Cheras versus $20.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $245 – making Cheras 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

Cheras vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,259 per month in Cheras 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Cheras – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $20.00 in Kuching. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $839 in Cheras and $804 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kuching – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.