Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in George Town versus $870 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in George Town versus $1,398 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,259 in George Town versus $1,926 in Kuching.

Living in George Town is roughly 11% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 29% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 MYR 13.72

$3.40 MYR 13.87

-1.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 MYR 61.3

$24.39 MYR 99.6

-38.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.39

$4.95 MYR 20.20

-4.04%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$3.21 MYR 13.11

-13.40%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$0.75 MYR 3.08

2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.47

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$4.77 MYR 19.45

-48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.78

$6.11 MYR 24.96

-28.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$2.38 MYR 9.73

-24.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-14.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.89

$1.17 MYR 4.77

44.44%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.06

$2.49 MYR 10.19

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 MYR 53.0

$11.41 MYR 46.59

13.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$4.30 MYR 17.56

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$9.75 MYR 39.81

-11.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.93

$3.16 MYR 12.90

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.05

$1.34 MYR 5.47

10.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.13

$2.47 MYR 10.10

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-31.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$1.34 MYR 5.49

-31.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-53.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.54 MYR 2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.84

$4.73 MYR 19.33

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 MYR 77.8

$22.31 MYR 91.1

-14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MYR 10.26

$4.11 MYR 16.79

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$5.13 MYR 20.95

-30.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.58 MYR 2.38

-18.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.93 MYR 44.63

$12.49 MYR 51.0

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.94 MYR 3.82

27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-60.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 MYR 27.41

$8.44 MYR 34.48

-20.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.81 MYR 3.31

-6.17%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

3.39%

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

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

-21.44%

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

$36.69 MYR 150

$35.66 MYR 146

2.89%

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

$8.25 MYR 33.68

$10.22 MYR 41.73

-19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.93 MYR 122

$25.15 MYR 103

19.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 MYR 168

$29.90 MYR 122

37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$12.21 MYR 49.87

-60.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 MYR 19.23

$5.05 MYR 20.61

-6.73%

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

$175 MYR 715

$136 MYR 553

29.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

-30.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 MYR 225

$63.9 MYR 261

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 MYR 140

$37.13 MYR 152

-7.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 MYR 298

$89.5 MYR 365

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$64.5 MYR 263

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,034

$360 MYR 1,468

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$242 MYR 988

54.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 MYR 3,750

$642 MYR 2,622

43.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 MYR 4,001

$475 MYR 1,939

106.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,589

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,233

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MYR 4,414

$536 MYR 2,188

101.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.37

-2.97%

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

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in George Town and $360 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $15.00 in George Town vs $24.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $274 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 102% higher in George Town, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $498 in George Town versus $360 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 14% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $175 in George Town versus $136 in Kuching. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $870 in Kuching versus $969 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town and Kuching are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.