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 $865 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $802 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,218 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,633 in Kuching, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 8% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 36% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$2.76 MYR 11.19

30.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.1

$20.32 MYR 82.4

-6.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-4.57%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$2.53 MYR 10.26

14.62%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$0.76 MYR 3.07

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.29 MYR 1.19

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.49

$2.78 MYR 11.27

28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.61

$3.61 MYR 14.63

40.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.67

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.08

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-7.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.06 MYR 4.28

20.75%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.40

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 61.6

$9.37 MYR 38.01

62.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$3.79 MYR 15.36

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 MYR 37.25

$8.01 MYR 32.49

14.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.66

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.21

$1.14 MYR 4.63

34.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.25

$2.59 MYR 10.48

-2.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-20.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.81

$1.11 MYR 4.50

7.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.24 MYR 5.01

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.53 MYR 2.13

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.48

$4.19 MYR 17.00

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.52 MYR 79.2

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.49

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.12

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-12.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.23 MYR 0.93

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 MYR 47.57

$11.92 MYR 48.32

-1.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$0.93 MYR 3.76

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.48

$1.84 MYR 7.45

228.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-21.59%

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

$30.9K MYR 125.2K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-17.25%

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

$44.11 MYR 179

$41.24 MYR 167

6.96%

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

$9.05 MYR 36.71

$8.92 MYR 36.16

1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MYR 119

$25.42 MYR 103

15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 MYR 147

$29.51 MYR 120

22.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.17

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-39.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.84

$4.63 MYR 18.77

5.62%

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

$186 MYR 754

$141 MYR 572

31.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,789 MYR 27.5K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

11.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 250

$65.8 MYR 267

-6.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 MYR 110

$31.99 MYR 130

-15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 MYR 296

$85.9 MYR 348

-15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.96 MYR 203

$71.5 MYR 290

-30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,552

$285 MYR 1,156

34.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MYR 1,113

$205 MYR 830

34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,664

$556 MYR 2,255

18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,916

$386 MYR 1,566

22.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 8,968

$2,144 MYR 8,692

3.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 MYR 3,728

$1,535 MYR 6,224

-40.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Kangar, Perlis versus $285 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 – $254 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: $865 in Kangar, Perlis, $802 in Kuching – roughly 8% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,298 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,203 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $802 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $802 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 $802 in Kuching to $865 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.