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 $991 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $889 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,371 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,918 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,852 in Kuching, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 11% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 28% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 MYR 14.93

$3.53 MYR 14.35

3.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 81.2

$25.07 MYR 102

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.70

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-1.83%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 12.25

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-10.15%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.38

$0.80 MYR 3.24

3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.39 MYR 1.57

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-19.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MYR 18.94

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-23.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.22 MYR 4.95

18.03%

Eggs

$1.92 MYR 7.83

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 MYR 55.4

$11.49 MYR 46.74

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 MYR 17.77

$4.44 MYR 18.04

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 MYR 40.79

$9.68 MYR 39.38

3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.08

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.84

$1.33 MYR 5.43

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.87

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-0.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-10.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-15.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.75

$1.15 MYR 4.69

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-23.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.34

$0.55 MYR 2.25

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.95

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 MYR 77.7

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.06

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.21

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$0.63 MYR 2.58

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 MYR 49.67

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-2.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$0.96 MYR 3.90

26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 MYR 30.49

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-15.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-12.94%

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

$42.0K MYR 171.0K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-1.01%

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

$34.5K MYR 140.3K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-6.13%

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

$50.9 MYR 207

$35.37 MYR 144

43.94%

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

$10.25 MYR 41.71

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.38 MYR 120

$24.25 MYR 98.7

21.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 MYR 163

$30.72 MYR 125

30.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MYR 26.40

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-47.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 20.09

$4.91 MYR 19.96

0.61%

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

$179 MYR 729

$135 MYR 551

32.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,056 MYR 20.6K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-29.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 258

$63.4 MYR 258

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 146

$37.96 MYR 154

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 MYR 333

$90.7 MYR 369

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 MYR 285

$66.9 MYR 272

4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 MYR 1,753

$371 MYR 1,510

16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,333

$240 MYR 977

36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MYR 2,873

$648 MYR 2,635

9.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,010

$454 MYR 1,845

8.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,087 MYR 8,489

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-1.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 MYR 4,616

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-26.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Kangar, Perlis versus $371 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 $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $25.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $273 – making Kangar, Perlis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $991 in Kangar, Perlis, $889 in Kuching – roughly 11% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,486 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,334 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 $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis and $25.00 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 $991 in Kangar, Perlis and $889 in Kuching. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Kangar, Perlis at $991. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kangar, Perlis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $889 in Kuching to $991 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.