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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Cheras vs $777 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Cheras vs $1,228 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,719 per month in Cheras vs $1,678 in Kuching, rent included.

Cheras costs about 10% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cheras and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 35% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$2.80 MYR 11.42

23.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.4

$20.41 MYR 83.3

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$4.59 MYR 18.75

1.74%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.91

$2.58 MYR 10.52

13.18%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.71 MYR 2.89

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.30 MYR 1.21

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 19.30

$2.88 MYR 11.76

64.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.56

$3.74 MYR 15.27

73.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.29

$1.05 MYR 4.30

23.81%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.56

$2.19 MYR 8.94

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.9

$9.58 MYR 39.13

63.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.22

$3.84 MYR 15.69

-2.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 MYR 31.55

$8.22 MYR 33.57

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.21

$2.98 MYR 12.18

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$1.15 MYR 4.69

52.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$2.62 MYR 10.70

-1.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.15 MYR 4.70

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$1.24 MYR 5.07

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$1.71 MYR 6.97

-47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.52 MYR 2.13

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.59

$4.19 MYR 17.11

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 MYR 56.4

$20.46 MYR 83.5

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$3.88 MYR 15.85

-29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 16.00

$3.41 MYR 13.91

14.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.23 MYR 0.94

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 48.97

$11.80 MYR 48.16

1.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.96 MYR 3.93

7.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 MYR 37.34

$1.90 MYR 7.77

381.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$49.6K MYR 202.6K

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

8.09%

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

$31.7K MYR 129.3K

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

-14.95%

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

$41.39 MYR 169

$41.82 MYR 171

-1.03%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.88

$9.22 MYR 37.66

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MYR 124

$25.53 MYR 104

19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 MYR 169

$29.85 MYR 122

38.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.24

$9.81 MYR 40.04

-39.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$4.64 MYR 18.93

4.96%

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

$185 MYR 756

$143 MYR 585

29.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

13.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$66.3 MYR 271

-1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 140

$31.34 MYR 128

9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$87.5 MYR 357

-17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.69 MYR 199

$71.7 MYR 293

-32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$284 MYR 1,159

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 945

$201 MYR 819

15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,672

$569 MYR 2,323

15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,741

$387 MYR 1,582

10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,526

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,166

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 MYR 4,865

$530 MYR 2,165

124.70%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 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 125% 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: $238 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 10%, 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 $1,288 per month in Cheras and $1,166 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 2% 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 $859 in Cheras and $777 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.