Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Kemaman vs $870 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,334 per month in Kemaman vs $1,398 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,760 per month in Kemaman vs $1,926 in Kuching, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 4% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kemaman and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 34% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$3.40 MYR 13.90

-19.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.83 MYR 60.7

$24.39 MYR 99.8

-39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 MYR 17.73

$4.95 MYR 20.25

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.82

$3.21 MYR 13.14

-2.49%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.75 MYR 3.09

-36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$0.36 MYR 1.47

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 MYR 13.98

$4.77 MYR 19.50

-28.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 23.71

$6.11 MYR 25.02

-5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$2.38 MYR 9.75

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.27 MYR 5.19

-17.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$1.17 MYR 4.78

-14.53%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$2.49 MYR 10.21

-53.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 MYR 41.39

$11.41 MYR 46.71

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-24.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 MYR 38.61

$9.75 MYR 39.91

-3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$3.16 MYR 12.93

12.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$1.34 MYR 5.48

42.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$2.47 MYR 10.12

12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.79 MYR 7.34

-1.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.82

$1.34 MYR 5.50

60.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.28

$1.15 MYR 4.71

75.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.64 MYR 6.70

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.54 MYR 2.23

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.15

$4.73 MYR 19.38

-6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 77.6

$22.31 MYR 91.3

-15.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.99

$4.11 MYR 16.84

-34.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MYR 18.86

$5.13 MYR 21.01

-10.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.58 MYR 2.39

22.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.71 MYR 47.94

$12.49 MYR 51.1

-6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.94 MYR 3.83

29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.25 MYR 37.85

$8.44 MYR 34.56

9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.81 MYR 3.32

-39.51%

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

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

$41.2K MYR 168.5K

2.41%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$36.5K MYR 149.4K

-9.74%

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

$49.20 MYR 201

$35.66 MYR 146

37.97%

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

$8.44 MYR 34.55

$10.22 MYR 41.83

-17.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 MYR 110

$25.15 MYR 103

6.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 MYR 144

$29.90 MYR 122

17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 MYR 29.00

$12.21 MYR 49.99

-42.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.82

$5.05 MYR 20.67

-4.16%

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

$123 MYR 503

$136 MYR 555

-9.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

$7,186 MYR 29.4K

46.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 MYR 209

$63.9 MYR 262

-19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 MYR 124

$37.13 MYR 152

-18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 MYR 324

$89.5 MYR 366

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MYR 354

$64.5 MYR 264

34.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,645

$360 MYR 1,472

11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,372

$242 MYR 991

38.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 MYR 2,746

$642 MYR 2,629

4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MYR 2,189

$475 MYR 1,944

12.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 MYR 8,461

$2,104 MYR 8,611

-1.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MYR 4,194

$1,527 MYR 6,249

-32.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,194

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.37

3.20%

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

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Kemaman versus $360 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 $15.00 in Kemaman versus $24.00 in Kuching. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $274 – making Kemaman 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

Kemaman vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,363 per month in Kemaman and $1,305 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 $15.00 in Kemaman and $24.00 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 $909 in Kemaman and $870 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 $870, than in Kemaman at $909. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuching – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.