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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $829 per month in Cheras vs $802 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,293 per month in Cheras vs $1,218 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Cheras vs $1,633 in Kuching, rent included.

Cheras costs about 3% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cheras and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 38% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 MYR 14.13

$2.76 MYR 11.19

26.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$20.32 MYR 82.4

-7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-4.57%

Cappuccino

$3.03 MYR 12.27

$2.53 MYR 10.26

19.76%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.76 MYR 3.07

3.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.29 MYR 1.19

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 MYR 19.38

$2.78 MYR 11.27

71.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 MYR 26.94

$3.61 MYR 14.63

83.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.28

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-6.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.77

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-14.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.06 MYR 4.28

18.87%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.37

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 MYR 62.6

$9.37 MYR 38.01

64.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.50

$3.79 MYR 15.36

-5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 MYR 30.26

$8.01 MYR 32.49

-6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$1.14 MYR 4.63

54.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.92

$2.59 MYR 10.48

-5.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.16

$1.11 MYR 4.50

36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.43

$1.24 MYR 5.01

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-44.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.53 MYR 2.13

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$4.19 MYR 17.00

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 58.8

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-32.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.48

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.33

$3.41 MYR 13.82

10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.23 MYR 0.93

108.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.44

$11.92 MYR 48.32

0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.95

$0.93 MYR 3.76

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 MYR 38.47

$1.84 MYR 7.45

415.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

10.75%

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

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-15.00%

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

$41.77 MYR 169

$41.24 MYR 167

1.29%

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

$9.30 MYR 37.72

$8.92 MYR 36.16

4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 MYR 123

$25.42 MYR 103

19.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 MYR 166

$29.51 MYR 120

38.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MYR 20.62

$4.63 MYR 18.77

9.94%

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

$190 MYR 769

$141 MYR 572

34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

12.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MYR 262

$65.8 MYR 267

-1.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 MYR 139

$31.99 MYR 130

7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 MYR 300

$85.9 MYR 348

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.61 MYR 197

$71.5 MYR 290

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,507

$285 MYR 1,156

30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 961

$205 MYR 830

15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,661

$556 MYR 2,255

18.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 MYR 1,703

$386 MYR 1,566

8.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 MYR 4,765

$552 MYR 2,239

112.84%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Cheras versus $285 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 113% 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: $236 vs $243 – 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 3%, 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 $1,244 per month in Cheras and $1,203 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Cheras at $829. 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.