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: $857 in Kedah versus $782 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Kedah versus $1,204 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Kedah versus $1,625 in Kuching.

Living in Kedah is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 36% lower, Kuching 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.82

$2.89 MYR 11.79

8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.57 MYR 88.2

$20.12 MYR 82.2

7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.79 MYR 19.58

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 12.02

$2.55 MYR 10.42

15.29%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.72 MYR 2.93

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.30 MYR 1.23

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$2.75 MYR 11.22

59.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.67

$3.64 MYR 14.86

18.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.90 MYR 7.78

-3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.10 MYR 4.49

-11.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.06 MYR 4.31

9.43%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.32

$2.25 MYR 9.18

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$9.44 MYR 38.60

56.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.44

$3.74 MYR 15.28

33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 MYR 59.4

$7.89 MYR 32.25

84.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.31

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-8.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.14 MYR 4.67

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.98

$2.62 MYR 10.71

2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.77 MYR 7.23

19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.12 MYR 4.56

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$1.20 MYR 4.89

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.96

$1.76 MYR 7.18

-44.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.52 MYR 2.14

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.04 MYR 77.8

$20.76 MYR 84.9

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.85

$3.79 MYR 15.51

-30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.46

$3.42 MYR 13.99

3.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$0.23 MYR 0.94

204.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.59

$11.81 MYR 48.26

-1.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 3.00

$0.96 MYR 3.92

-23.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-56.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 MYR 28.96

$1.91 MYR 7.82

270.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.5K

$45.8K MYR 187.3K

-26.60%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.6K

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

-23.21%

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

$38.56 MYR 158

$40.93 MYR 167

-5.79%

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

$9.94 MYR 40.63

$9.27 MYR 37.90

7.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.76 MYR 48.07

$25.28 MYR 103

-53.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 MYR 153

$29.07 MYR 119

28.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.68

$9.96 MYR 40.73

-39.36%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.49

$4.67 MYR 19.11

-39.83%

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

$236 MYR 964

$145 MYR 592

63.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,189 MYR 25.3K

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 MYR 221

$65.1 MYR 266

-16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.68 MYR 117

$31.59 MYR 129

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$86.8 MYR 355

-28.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$72.1 MYR 295

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$279 MYR 1,140

36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,118

$203 MYR 830

34.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,657

$569 MYR 2,325

14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,946

$385 MYR 1,575

23.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 MYR 8,362

$2,089 MYR 8,540

-2.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,635

$1,518 MYR 6,205

-25.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,301 MYR 5,319

$541 MYR 2,213

140.31%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Kedah and $279 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: $22.00 in Kedah vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $242 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 9% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $782 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: $382 in Kedah versus $279 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Kedah versus $145 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.

At $782 in Kuching versus $857 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 9% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.