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: $828 in George Town versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in George Town versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in George Town versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in George Town is roughly 3% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 38% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 MYR 12.71

$2.76 MYR 11.19

13.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 MYR 86.4

$20.32 MYR 82.4

4.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.80

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-13.93%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.46

$2.53 MYR 10.26

1.98%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$0.76 MYR 3.07

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.29 MYR 1.19

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$2.78 MYR 11.27

53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 MYR 19.42

$3.61 MYR 14.63

32.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$1.09 MYR 4.44

2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.85

$1.06 MYR 4.28

59.43%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.32

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 MYR 71.0

$9.37 MYR 38.01

86.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.07

$3.79 MYR 15.36

30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.24

$8.01 MYR 32.49

33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MYR 11.44

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.14 MYR 4.63

25.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.87

$2.59 MYR 10.48

-15.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.59

$1.11 MYR 4.50

-19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.24 MYR 5.01

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-59.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.53 MYR 2.13

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MYR 16.28

$4.19 MYR 17.00

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 MYR 50.9

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.68

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.72

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-0.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.23 MYR 0.93

113.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 46.89

$11.92 MYR 48.32

-3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$0.93 MYR 3.76

24.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-60.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MYR 26.80

$1.84 MYR 7.45

259.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-6.00%

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

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-25.56%

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

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-33.77%

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

$38.53 MYR 156

$41.24 MYR 167

-6.57%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.25

$8.92 MYR 36.16

11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.52 MYR 120

$25.42 MYR 103

16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 MYR 157

$29.51 MYR 120

31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.66 MYR 14.85

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-62.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MYR 16.45

$4.63 MYR 18.77

-12.31%

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

$150 MYR 607

$141 MYR 572

5.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

-24.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MYR 206

$65.8 MYR 267

-22.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 MYR 118

$31.99 MYR 130

-9.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$85.9 MYR 348

-29.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 213

$71.5 MYR 290

-26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,501

$285 MYR 1,156

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 MYR 1,051

$205 MYR 830

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,887

$556 MYR 2,255

28.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,018

$386 MYR 1,566

28.87%

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)

$1,085 MYR 4,400

$552 MYR 2,239

96.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.27

-2.58%

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

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in George Town and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 97% 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: $21.00 in George Town vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $243 per month, with Kuching 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

George Town pays 97% more on average, 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: $370 in George Town versus $285 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 3% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $141 in Kuching. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 3% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.