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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $954 per month in Kemaman vs $804 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kemaman vs $1,223 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Kemaman vs $1,642 in Kuching, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 19% more than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kemaman and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$2.80 MYR 11.08

-6.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 MYR 56.5

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-28.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 MYR 15.14

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-18.16%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.12

$2.45 MYR 9.69

-5.71%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.32 MYR 1.27

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$2.89 MYR 11.43

44.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.01

$3.63 MYR 14.33

46.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.90 MYR 7.51

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.02 MYR 4.03

-3.92%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 MYR 56.9

$9.55 MYR 37.72

50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 MYR 14.60

$3.73 MYR 14.72

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$7.99 MYR 31.56

17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.23

$3.08 MYR 12.18

25.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.15 MYR 4.54

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.50

$2.62 MYR 10.36

30.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.09

$1.81 MYR 7.15

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.97

$1.11 MYR 4.40

58.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-35.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.22 MYR 16.67

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 MYR 80.2

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.68

$3.84 MYR 15.18

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.29

$3.47 MYR 13.71

55.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.25 MYR 0.99

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.68

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-2.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$0.98 MYR 3.88

23.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$1.11 MYR 4.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MYR 16.76

$1.92 MYR 7.60

120.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-5.04%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-12.72%

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

$73.1 MYR 289

$40.86 MYR 161

78.81%

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

$9.97 MYR 39.38

$9.15 MYR 36.13

8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 112

$25.01 MYR 98.8

13.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$29.43 MYR 116

26.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.83

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-38.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.16

$4.72 MYR 18.65

18.86%

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

$116 MYR 456

$145 MYR 575

-20.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

-28.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 438

$65.8 MYR 260

68.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 108

$31.81 MYR 126

-13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$86.1 MYR 340

-13.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 314

$71.3 MYR 282

11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$284 MYR 1,123

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,073

$203 MYR 800

34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,583

$566 MYR 2,237

15.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,861

$378 MYR 1,494

24.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 MYR 7,107

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-13.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 MYR 3,481

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-43.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 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 – $273 in Kemaman vs $245 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 19%, 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 $1,431 per month in Kemaman and $1,206 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 $954 in Kemaman and $804 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 $804, than in Kemaman at $954. 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.