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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Kemaman vs $802 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,416 per month in Kemaman vs $1,218 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,876 per month in Kemaman vs $1,633 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

$2.52 MYR 10.20

$2.76 MYR 11.19

-8.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 MYR 57.2

$20.32 MYR 82.4

-30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 14.99

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-23.08%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MYR 9.30

$2.53 MYR 10.26

-9.49%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.76 MYR 3.07

-35.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.29 MYR 1.19

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.40

$2.78 MYR 11.27

54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.16

$3.61 MYR 14.63

51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-2.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.97

$1.06 MYR 4.28

-7.55%

Eggs

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-46.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 MYR 57.4

$9.37 MYR 38.01

51.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 MYR 15.07

$3.79 MYR 15.36

-1.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 MYR 39.36

$8.01 MYR 32.49

21.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 MYR 16.11

$2.99 MYR 12.14

32.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.10

$1.14 MYR 4.63

53.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.36

$2.59 MYR 10.48

27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.23

$1.80 MYR 7.31

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.11 MYR 4.50

53.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.24 MYR 5.01

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-36.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.53 MYR 2.13

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.58

$4.19 MYR 17.00

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.19 MYR 81.9

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.77

$3.87 MYR 15.69

13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 MYR 22.06

$3.41 MYR 13.82

59.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.23 MYR 0.93

221.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.45

$11.92 MYR 48.32

-1.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.93 MYR 3.76

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.45

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 17.15

$1.84 MYR 7.45

129.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-1.36%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-14.72%

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

$74.5 MYR 302

$41.24 MYR 167

80.67%

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

$9.68 MYR 39.23

$8.92 MYR 36.16

8.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 MYR 113

$25.42 MYR 103

9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 151

$29.51 MYR 120

26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 MYR 23.78

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-40.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$4.63 MYR 18.77

23.76%

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

$117 MYR 476

$141 MYR 572

-16.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

-29.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$65.8 MYR 267

64.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$31.99 MYR 130

-13.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MYR 305

$85.9 MYR 348

-12.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MYR 318

$71.5 MYR 290

9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MYR 1,578

$285 MYR 1,156

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,073

$205 MYR 830

29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,656

$556 MYR 2,255

17.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,894

$386 MYR 1,566

20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,157

$2,144 MYR 8,692

-17.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$896 MYR 3,631

$1,535 MYR 6,224

-41.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Kemaman versus $285 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 – $274 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 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 $1,435 per month in Kemaman and $1,203 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 $957 in Kemaman and $802 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 $957 in Kemaman and $802 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.