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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $965 per month in Kemaman vs $777 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,413 per month in Kemaman vs $1,228 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,861 per month in Kemaman vs $1,678 in Kuching, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 24% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kemaman and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 27% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$2.80 MYR 11.42

-6.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$20.41 MYR 83.3

-30.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 MYR 15.00

$4.59 MYR 18.75

-20.04%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.51

$2.58 MYR 10.52

-9.69%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-35.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.39

$0.30 MYR 1.21

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$2.88 MYR 11.76

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.29

$3.74 MYR 15.27

45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.98

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$1.05 MYR 4.30

-13.33%

Eggs

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.19 MYR 8.94

-47.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 MYR 57.0

$9.58 MYR 39.13

45.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.33

$3.84 MYR 15.69

-2.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.53

$8.22 MYR 33.57

17.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MYR 16.37

$2.98 MYR 12.18

34.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$1.15 MYR 4.69

53.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.67

$2.62 MYR 10.70

27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.66

$1.77 MYR 7.24

47.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.13

$1.15 MYR 4.71

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.24 MYR 5.08

-20.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.52 MYR 2.13

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.90

$4.19 MYR 17.11

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 MYR 79.8

$20.46 MYR 83.5

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$3.88 MYR 15.85

10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 MYR 22.38

$3.41 MYR 13.91

60.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$0.23 MYR 0.94

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.40

$11.80 MYR 48.17

-1.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.96 MYR 3.94

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-3.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$1.90 MYR 7.77

128.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

-6.48%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

-15.22%

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

$73.8 MYR 301

$41.82 MYR 171

76.49%

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

$9.71 MYR 39.65

$9.22 MYR 37.67

5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.92 MYR 118

$25.53 MYR 104

13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 MYR 151

$29.85 MYR 122

23.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.78

$9.81 MYR 40.05

-40.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 MYR 22.48

$4.64 MYR 18.93

18.75%

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

$120 MYR 490

$143 MYR 585

-16.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

-30.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$66.3 MYR 271

62.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 MYR 114

$31.34 MYR 128

-11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 304

$87.5 MYR 357

-14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 322

$71.7 MYR 293

10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$284 MYR 1,159

33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MYR 1,080

$201 MYR 819

31.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,658

$569 MYR 2,324

14.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,918

$387 MYR 1,582

21.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 8,220

$2,088 MYR 8,527

-3.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 MYR 4,705

$1,510 MYR 6,167

-23.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.27

-7.26%

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

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Kemaman versus $284 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 $14.00 in Kemaman versus $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Kemaman vs $243 in Kuching – so Kuching wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 24%, 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 $1,448 per month in Kemaman and $1,166 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 $14.00 in Kemaman and $20.00 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 $965 in Kemaman and $777 in Kuching. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $965 in Kemaman and $777 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.