Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Gombak and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Gombak versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Gombak versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,899 in Gombak versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Gombak is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 30% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.24

$3.53 MYR 14.35

6.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.33 MYR 99.0

$25.07 MYR 102

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.51

$4.93 MYR 20.05

2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.06 MYR 12.45

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-8.66%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.80 MYR 3.24

11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.39 MYR 1.57

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MYR 13.24

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.87

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-3.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MYR 7.96

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.22 MYR 4.95

23.77%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.32

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MYR 40.81

$11.49 MYR 46.74

-12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$4.44 MYR 18.04

-27.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.99

$9.68 MYR 39.38

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.20

$3.36 MYR 13.69

3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.95

$1.33 MYR 5.43

46.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.78

$2.45 MYR 9.96

8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.43

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$1.57 MYR 6.37

35.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.05

$1.15 MYR 4.69

72.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MYR 6.13

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-5.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 77.9

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.03

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-33.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.63 MYR 2.58

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.29 MYR 49.99

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-2.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.96 MYR 3.90

27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 MYR 38.47

$8.85 MYR 36.00

6.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-15.29%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.0K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-1.60%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.7K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-9.84%

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

$49.11 MYR 200

$35.37 MYR 144

38.85%

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

$8.30 MYR 33.76

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-19.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 MYR 109

$24.25 MYR 98.7

10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 MYR 166

$30.72 MYR 125

33.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.51 MYR 26.47

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-46.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 MYR 12.95

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-35.23%

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

$285 MYR 1,160

$135 MYR 551

110.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.8K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

46.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 MYR 212

$63.4 MYR 258

-17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 MYR 121

$37.96 MYR 154

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 318

$90.7 MYR 369

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 MYR 349

$66.9 MYR 272

28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,733

$371 MYR 1,510

14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,338

$240 MYR 977

36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,841

$648 MYR 2,635

7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,015

$454 MYR 1,845

9.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,561

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-0.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,634

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-26.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 MYR 2,265

$548 MYR 2,229

1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.37

3.20%

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

Last update for Gombak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Gombak and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gombak pays 2% 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: $24.00 in Gombak vs $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $273 per month, with Gombak 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

Gombak vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Gombak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuching the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Gombak, 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: $426 in Gombak versus $371 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $24.00 in Gombak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $889 in Kuching versus $971 in Gombak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Gombak. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $889 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuching hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gombak 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 9% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.