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: $810 in Gombak versus $778 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Gombak versus $1,219 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,626 in Gombak versus $1,661 in Kuching.

Living in Gombak is roughly 4% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 39% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 MYR 10.86

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-5.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.9

$19.69 MYR 80.6

-3.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 MYR 15.00

$4.85 MYR 19.85

-24.54%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.47

$2.55 MYR 10.44

-9.41%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.72 MYR 2.94

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.32 MYR 1.32

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MYR 14.19

$2.85 MYR 11.68

21.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.57

$3.69 MYR 15.10

36.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.01 MYR 4.13

43.56%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.70

$2.19 MYR 8.95

-14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 MYR 44.00

$9.41 MYR 38.50

14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.11

$3.73 MYR 15.25

-7.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 MYR 32.65

$8.24 MYR 33.74

-3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.23

$3.04 MYR 12.42

-9.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.92

$1.11 MYR 4.56

52.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 10.17

$2.59 MYR 10.60

-3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.11

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.64

$1.11 MYR 4.53

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$1.23 MYR 5.02

-16.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.68 MYR 6.89

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.49 MYR 2.00

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.49

$4.29 MYR 17.57

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 MYR 78.9

$21.05 MYR 86.2

-8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.06

$3.72 MYR 15.21

-27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 MYR 15.66

$3.47 MYR 14.21

10.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.25 MYR 1.02

172.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.66

$11.60 MYR 47.48

0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.97 MYR 3.97

6.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MYR 17.25

$1.92 MYR 7.86

119.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.46 MYR 1.90

6.52%

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

$30.9K MYR 126.3K

$46.2K MYR 189.3K

-33.25%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.8K

$37.4K MYR 152.9K

-25.58%

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

$41.04 MYR 168

$42.30 MYR 173

-2.98%

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

$9.57 MYR 39.18

$8.93 MYR 36.55

7.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.09 MYR 94.5

$25.54 MYR 105

-9.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 MYR 148

$29.54 MYR 121

22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 MYR 23.86

$10.01 MYR 40.98

-41.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.61

$4.68 MYR 19.16

7.69%

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

$119 MYR 488

$144 MYR 587

-16.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,236 MYR 17.3K

$6,063 MYR 24.8K

-30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.65 MYR 199

$66.3 MYR 272

-26.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.37 MYR 112

$32.21 MYR 132

-15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MYR 223

$86.7 MYR 355

-37.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.32 MYR 198

$71.2 MYR 292

-32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,577

$284 MYR 1,163

35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,120

$207 MYR 848

32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,673

$560 MYR 2,290

16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,932

$384 MYR 1,571

22.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,780 MYR 7,287

$2,033 MYR 8,319

-12.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 MYR 5,336

$1,515 MYR 6,199

-13.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MYR 2,254

$531 MYR 2,172

3.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.27

-7.26%

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

Last update for Gombak: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Gombak and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gombak pays 4% 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: $19.00 in Gombak vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $242 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 4% 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 4% 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: $385 in Gombak versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 5% 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 $20.00 versus $19.00 in Gombak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $778 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 4% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.