Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Kedah versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Kedah versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Kedah versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Kedah is roughly 7% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 31% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.98

$3.53 MYR 14.35

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.37 MYR 50.3

$25.07 MYR 102

-50.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.37

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-16.72%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.94

$0.80 MYR 3.24

21.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.39 MYR 1.57

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-46.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.67

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 MYR 9.97

$2.33 MYR 9.47

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.20 MYR 4.88

9.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.22 MYR 4.95

39.34%

Eggs

$2.59 MYR 10.53

$2.56 MYR 10.40

1.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MYR 62.9

$11.49 MYR 46.74

34.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.98

$4.44 MYR 18.04

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 39.94

$9.68 MYR 39.38

1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.68

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$1.33 MYR 5.43

15.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.12

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-34.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-40.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.28

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-29.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-51.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.55 MYR 2.25

25.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MYR 18.22

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 MYR 87.8

$21.20 MYR 86.2

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.14

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-38.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.68

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.63 MYR 2.58

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-3.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$0.96 MYR 3.90

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MYR 27.41

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-23.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-24.71%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-0.09%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-23.40%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$35.37 MYR 144

41.70%

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

$8.22 MYR 33.46

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-20.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 MYR 128

$24.25 MYR 98.7

29.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 MYR 169

$30.72 MYR 125

35.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.61 MYR 26.88

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-46.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-4.89%

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

$175 MYR 711

$135 MYR 551

29.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-31.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 224

$63.4 MYR 258

-13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 144

$37.96 MYR 154

-6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MYR 303

$90.7 MYR 369

-18.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$66.9 MYR 272

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$371 MYR 1,510

13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,355

$240 MYR 977

38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 MYR 2,835

$648 MYR 2,635

7.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MYR 2,002

$454 MYR 1,845

8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,347

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-2.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MYR 4,601

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-27.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,313 MYR 5,343

$548 MYR 2,229

139.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.37

1.37%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Kedah and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 140% 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: $12.00 in Kedah vs $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $273 per month, with Kedah 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

Kedah vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Kuching differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $889 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 140% higher in Kedah, 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: $423 in Kedah versus $371 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $175 in Kedah versus $135 in Kuching. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kedah pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $889 in Kuching versus $955 in Kedah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kedah 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 7% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.