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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Cheras vs $870 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Cheras vs $1,398 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Cheras vs $1,926 in Kuching, rent included.

Cheras costs about 31% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cheras and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 16% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 MYR 15.58

$3.40 MYR 13.87

12.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.02 MYR 102

$24.39 MYR 99.6

2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.99

$4.95 MYR 20.20

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MYR 12.63

$3.21 MYR 13.11

-3.74%

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

$0.88 MYR 3.60

$0.75 MYR 3.08

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.36 MYR 1.47

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 MYR 18.52

$4.77 MYR 19.45

-4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 MYR 26.41

$6.11 MYR 24.96

5.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MYR 8.01

$2.38 MYR 9.73

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-17.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$1.17 MYR 4.77

28.21%

Eggs

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$2.49 MYR 10.19

-28.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.37 MYR 75.0

$11.41 MYR 46.59

61.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MYR 18.32

$4.30 MYR 17.56

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 MYR 43.25

$9.75 MYR 39.81

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.97

$3.16 MYR 12.90

8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.94

$1.34 MYR 5.47

45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.47 MYR 10.10

11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.60

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-9.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.96

$1.34 MYR 5.49

63.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.15 MYR 4.70

49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.54 MYR 2.22

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.65

$4.73 MYR 19.33

-8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.14 MYR 57.7

$22.31 MYR 91.1

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.39

$4.11 MYR 16.79

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$5.13 MYR 20.95

-41.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.58 MYR 2.38

25.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.17 MYR 49.70

$12.49 MYR 51.0

-2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$0.94 MYR 3.82

35.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.54 MYR 38.93

$8.44 MYR 34.48

13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.81 MYR 3.31

-2.47%

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

$42.1K MYR 171.7K

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

2.17%

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

$34.3K MYR 139.8K

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

-6.17%

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

$49.68 MYR 203

$35.66 MYR 146

39.32%

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

$11.03 MYR 45.02

$10.22 MYR 41.73

7.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.11 MYR 115

$25.15 MYR 103

11.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MYR 216

$29.90 MYR 122

76.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 MYR 25.93

$12.21 MYR 49.87

-47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.97

$5.05 MYR 20.61

-3.17%

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

$162 MYR 661

$136 MYR 553

19.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,441 MYR 18.1K

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

-38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 MYR 265

$63.9 MYR 261

1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 MYR 124

$37.13 MYR 152

-18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 333

$89.5 MYR 365

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 MYR 352

$64.5 MYR 263

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,687

$360 MYR 1,468

14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 MYR 1,904

$242 MYR 988

92.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 MYR 2,814

$642 MYR 2,622

7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 MYR 1,984

$475 MYR 1,939

2.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 MYR 9,332

$2,104 MYR 8,589

8.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 MYR 4,423

$1,527 MYR 6,233

-29.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 MYR 4,940

$536 MYR 2,188

125.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.37

-7.09%

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

Last update for Cheras: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $413 in Cheras versus $360 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 126% 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 $25.00 in Cheras versus $24.00 in Kuching. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Cheras vs $274 in Kuching – so Cheras wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 31%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,714 per month in Cheras and $1,305 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 1% 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 $25.00 in Cheras and $24.00 in Kuching. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $870, than in Cheras at $1,143. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.