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 $875 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $804 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,223 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,642 in Kuching, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 9% 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 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.68

$2.80 MYR 11.08

23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.70

$4.68 MYR 18.49

1.07%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$2.45 MYR 9.69

15.10%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.32 MYR 1.27

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$2.89 MYR 11.43

19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$3.63 MYR 14.33

34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$1.02 MYR 4.03

23.53%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.6

$9.55 MYR 37.72

57.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$3.73 MYR 14.72

16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 37.35

$7.99 MYR 31.56

18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.21

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.15 MYR 4.54

27.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.93

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-4.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.11 MYR 4.40

6.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.24 MYR 4.89

4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$0.53 MYR 2.10

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$4.22 MYR 16.67

2.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 MYR 71.0

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.16

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.72

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-14.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.25 MYR 0.99

192.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 45.75

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-2.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$1.92 MYR 7.60

209.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-23.24%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-13.98%

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

$43.03 MYR 170

$40.86 MYR 161

5.31%

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

$9.19 MYR 36.31

$9.15 MYR 36.13

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 MYR 114

$25.01 MYR 98.8

15.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 147

$29.43 MYR 116

26.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-41.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.72 MYR 18.65

3.60%

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

$186 MYR 734

$145 MYR 575

27.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

14.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$65.8 MYR 260

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 MYR 109

$31.81 MYR 126

-13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$86.1 MYR 340

-14.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 MYR 200

$71.3 MYR 282

-29.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,533

$284 MYR 1,123

36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,079

$203 MYR 800

34.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$566 MYR 2,237

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,825

$378 MYR 1,494

22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 MYR 6,621

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-19.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 MYR 3,751

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-38.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 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 – $250 in Kangar, Perlis vs $245 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: $875 in Kangar, Perlis, $804 in Kuching – roughly 9% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,206 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis and $804 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis and $804 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 $804 in Kuching to $875 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.