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: $845 in Kedah versus $799 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Kedah versus $1,238 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Kedah versus $1,677 in Kuching.

Living in Kedah is roughly 6% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 37% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 11.73

$2.89 MYR 11.42

2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.99 MYR 82.9

$20.23 MYR 79.9

3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 MYR 16.81

$4.76 MYR 18.81

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.37

$2.57 MYR 10.15

12.06%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.71 MYR 2.81

-2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.30 MYR 1.17

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 MYR 16.91

$2.75 MYR 10.87

55.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$3.58 MYR 14.13

22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$1.94 MYR 7.68

-5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MYR 3.56

$1.12 MYR 4.44

-19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.07 MYR 4.21

8.41%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.42

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.0

$9.35 MYR 36.93

59.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.37

$3.74 MYR 14.76

37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 58.2

$8.02 MYR 31.69

83.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.34

$3.07 MYR 12.12

-6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$1.11 MYR 4.37

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$2.53 MYR 9.99

5.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.77 MYR 6.98

18.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.15 MYR 4.56

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.80

$1.20 MYR 4.72

1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.75

$1.67 MYR 6.60

-43.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.52 MYR 2.07

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.57

$4.17 MYR 16.47

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 MYR 77.0

$21.61 MYR 85.4

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.47

$3.84 MYR 15.15

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.89

$3.51 MYR 13.87

0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.23 MYR 0.90

213.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.89 MYR 46.98

$11.59 MYR 45.77

2.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.09 MYR 4.32

-56.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.47

$1.85 MYR 7.31

275.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$33.2K MYR 131.3K

$44.7K MYR 176.5K

-25.59%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$37.3K MYR 147.3K

-25.07%

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

$38.58 MYR 152

$42.29 MYR 167

-8.77%

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

$10.25 MYR 40.50

$8.83 MYR 34.86

16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 MYR 46.35

$25.43 MYR 100

-53.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 146

$29.59 MYR 117

24.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.85

$9.61 MYR 37.95

-39.75%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$4.67 MYR 18.46

-38.54%

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

$243 MYR 958

$141 MYR 559

71.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 MYR 24.6K

$6,132 MYR 24.2K

1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MYR 213

$65.0 MYR 257

-17.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$32.44 MYR 128

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$86.6 MYR 342

-29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 MYR 209

$73.0 MYR 288

-27.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,528

$279 MYR 1,103

38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,061

$203 MYR 802

32.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,519

$564 MYR 2,227

13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,857

$392 MYR 1,548

19.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,647 MYR 6,507

$2,160 MYR 8,534

-23.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MYR 3,983

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-35.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,358 MYR 5,364

$555 MYR 2,192

144.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.27

-2.58%

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

Last update for Kedah: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Kedah and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 145% 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: $21 in Kedah vs $20 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $244 per month, with Kuching 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 6% in total monthly costs ($845 vs $799 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kedah pays 145% more on average, 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: $387 in Kedah versus $279 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Kedah versus $141 in Kuching. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 6% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.