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: $812 in Gombak versus $774 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Gombak versus $1,217 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Gombak versus $1,660 in Kuching.

Living in Gombak is roughly 5% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 MYR 10.07

$2.84 MYR 11.28

-10.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 74.2

$20.23 MYR 80.2

-7.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.71 MYR 14.71

$4.63 MYR 18.35

-19.87%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.89

$2.44 MYR 9.68

-8.20%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.66

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.32 MYR 1.28

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.25

$2.76 MYR 10.95

30.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 MYR 20.38

$3.56 MYR 14.13

44.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$1.12 MYR 4.45

-13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.91

$1.03 MYR 4.08

44.66%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.51

$2.17 MYR 8.60

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 MYR 41.40

$9.74 MYR 38.62

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 13.72

$3.90 MYR 15.45

-11.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 MYR 32.33

$8.04 MYR 31.86

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.03

$3.11 MYR 12.35

-10.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.11 MYR 4.39

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 9.81

$2.58 MYR 10.22

-4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$1.78 MYR 7.04

-29.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.70

$1.14 MYR 4.52

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.11

$1.17 MYR 4.66

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-48.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.53 MYR 2.11

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.46

$4.14 MYR 16.42

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.52 MYR 81.4

$21.39 MYR 84.8

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.82

$3.87 MYR 15.34

-29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 MYR 15.82

$3.50 MYR 13.89

14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.25 MYR 0.99

172.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 46.99

$11.64 MYR 46.14

1.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.91 MYR 3.60

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.35

$1.14 MYR 4.53

-3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$1.83 MYR 7.27

130.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$30.9K MYR 122.7K

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

-31.24%

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

$28.0K MYR 110.9K

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

-22.37%

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

$40.18 MYR 159

$41.77 MYR 166

-3.81%

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

$9.91 MYR 39.29

$8.95 MYR 35.50

10.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.66 MYR 89.9

$25.07 MYR 99.4

-9.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 MYR 145

$29.40 MYR 117

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 23.52

$9.60 MYR 38.08

-38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.71

$4.73 MYR 18.77

5.07%

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

$116 MYR 461

$143 MYR 569

-18.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,242 MYR 16.8K

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

-30.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 MYR 196

$65.9 MYR 261

-25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.02 MYR 107

$31.95 MYR 127

-15.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 MYR 211

$85.9 MYR 340

-38.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.58 MYR 197

$73.0 MYR 289

-32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,521

$276 MYR 1,093

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,065

$201 MYR 798

33.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,524

$566 MYR 2,243

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,884

$387 MYR 1,536

22.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 MYR 8,152

$2,159 MYR 8,560

-4.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$961 MYR 3,809

$1,568 MYR 6,219

-38.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 MYR 2,243

$555 MYR 2,201

1.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Gombak and $276 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: $19.00 in Gombak vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $246 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 5% 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.

Gombak pays 2% 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: $383 in Gombak versus $276 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 6% 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 $774 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 5% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.