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: $868 in Kedah versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kedah versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Kedah versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in Kedah is roughly 8% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 35% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 12.25

$2.76 MYR 11.20

9.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 MYR 86.9

$20.32 MYR 82.5

5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.36

$4.81 MYR 19.53

-11.02%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.96

$2.53 MYR 10.27

16.60%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.76 MYR 3.07

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.29 MYR 1.20

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.84

$2.78 MYR 11.28

58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.19

$3.61 MYR 14.64

24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.91 MYR 7.77

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 MYR 3.67

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-16.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.06 MYR 4.28

14.15%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.2

$9.37 MYR 38.03

63.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.27

$3.79 MYR 15.37

31.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.5

$8.01 MYR 32.51

83.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.70

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.14 MYR 4.63

4.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.60

$2.59 MYR 10.49

0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.82

$1.80 MYR 7.31

20.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.11 MYR 4.51

7.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.24 MYR 5.01

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.92

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-42.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.53 MYR 2.13

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.76

$4.19 MYR 17.02

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 MYR 79.5

$21.36 MYR 86.7

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.70

$3.87 MYR 15.70

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.67

$3.41 MYR 13.83

-1.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.23 MYR 0.93

195.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.74

$11.92 MYR 48.36

-1.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.93 MYR 3.77

-25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-57.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.34

$1.84 MYR 7.45

279.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 135.9K

$44.6K MYR 180.9K

-24.89%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.0K

$37.3K MYR 151.5K

-26.69%

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

$38.49 MYR 156

$41.24 MYR 167

-6.67%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.52

$8.92 MYR 36.19

12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.96 MYR 48.55

$25.42 MYR 103

-52.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MYR 148

$29.51 MYR 120

23.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.76

$9.77 MYR 39.65

-40.12%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.41

$4.63 MYR 18.78

-39.31%

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

$238 MYR 964

$141 MYR 573

68.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$65.8 MYR 267

-15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 MYR 115

$31.99 MYR 130

-11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 252

$85.9 MYR 349

-27.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$71.5 MYR 290

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,541

$285 MYR 1,157

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,094

$205 MYR 831

31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,622

$556 MYR 2,256

16.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$386 MYR 1,567

20.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,964 MYR 7,968

$2,144 MYR 8,699

-8.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MYR 3,882

$1,535 MYR 6,229

-37.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 MYR 5,363

$552 MYR 2,240

139.39%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Kedah and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 139% 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: $21.00 in Kedah vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $243 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 8% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $802 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kedah pays 139% 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: $380 in Kedah versus $285 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 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 8% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.