Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $777 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,228 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,678 in Kuching, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 10% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 35% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.38

$2.80 MYR 11.43

25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.01 MYR 77.7

$20.41 MYR 83.4

-6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.74

$4.59 MYR 18.77

5.23%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.31

$2.58 MYR 10.53

7.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.71 MYR 2.90

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.30 MYR 1.21

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 14.07

$2.88 MYR 11.77

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.77

$3.74 MYR 15.29

29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.30

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.05 MYR 4.31

22.86%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.69

$2.19 MYR 8.95

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 MYR 61.9

$9.58 MYR 39.17

58.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$3.84 MYR 15.71

11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.47

$8.22 MYR 33.60

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.82

$2.98 MYR 12.19

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.15 MYR 4.69

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.68

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.77 MYR 7.24

-18.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.15 MYR 4.71

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$1.24 MYR 5.08

6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.52 MYR 2.13

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.71

$4.19 MYR 17.12

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 68.0

$20.46 MYR 83.6

-18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.53

$3.88 MYR 15.86

-27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.31

$3.41 MYR 13.93

-11.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.23 MYR 0.94

204.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.69 MYR 47.77

$11.80 MYR 48.21

-0.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$0.96 MYR 3.94

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.69

$1.90 MYR 7.78

205.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.3K

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

-22.55%

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

$31.8K MYR 130.1K

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

-14.52%

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

$42.93 MYR 175

$41.82 MYR 171

2.65%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.14

$9.22 MYR 37.70

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$25.53 MYR 104

13.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 150

$29.85 MYR 122

22.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.52

$9.81 MYR 40.08

-38.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.88

$4.64 MYR 18.94

4.74%

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

$187 MYR 764

$143 MYR 586

30.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 251

$66.3 MYR 271

-7.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 112

$31.34 MYR 128

-12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 294

$87.5 MYR 358

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$71.7 MYR 293

-28.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,611

$284 MYR 1,160

38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,097

$201 MYR 820

33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,641

$569 MYR 2,326

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,916

$387 MYR 1,583

21.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,531

$2,088 MYR 8,535

11.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 MYR 5,196

$1,510 MYR 6,172

-15.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,167

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kangar, Perlis versus $284 in Kuching. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Kangar, Perlis vs $243 in Kuching – so Kuching wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kangar, Perlis vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $859 in Kangar, Perlis, $777 in Kuching – roughly 10% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,166 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuching, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis and $20.00 in Kuching. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $777 in Kuching. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $777 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $777 in Kuching to $859 in Kangar, Perlis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kuching. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kangar, Perlis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.