Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Kepong vs $778 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,251 per month in Kepong vs $1,219 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,742 per month in Kepong vs $1,661 in Kuching, rent included.

Kepong is about 2% cheaper than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kepong and Kuching are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 43% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.36

$2.79 MYR 11.41

25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.79 MYR 76.9

$19.69 MYR 80.6

-4.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.12

$4.85 MYR 19.85

-3.71%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.47

$2.55 MYR 10.44

9.80%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.50

$0.72 MYR 2.94

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.32 MYR 1.32

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 MYR 14.80

$2.85 MYR 11.68

27.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 21.19

$3.69 MYR 15.10

40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.35

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.01 MYR 4.13

29.70%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.14

$2.19 MYR 8.95

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 MYR 63.7

$9.41 MYR 38.50

65.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.92

$3.73 MYR 15.25

37.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 MYR 43.53

$8.24 MYR 33.74

29.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.24

$3.04 MYR 12.42

-9.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.08

$1.11 MYR 4.56

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.06

$2.59 MYR 10.60

-5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.11 MYR 4.53

30.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.62

$1.23 MYR 5.02

11.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$1.68 MYR 6.89

-46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.49 MYR 2.00

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MYR 17.40

$4.29 MYR 17.57

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 MYR 58.5

$21.05 MYR 86.2

-32.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.42

$3.72 MYR 15.21

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.28

$3.47 MYR 14.21

-13.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.25 MYR 1.02

172.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.79 MYR 48.27

$11.60 MYR 47.48

1.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$0.97 MYR 3.97

1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-13.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 MYR 37.53

$1.92 MYR 7.86

377.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

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

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

$46.2K MYR 189.3K

-33.00%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.7K

$37.4K MYR 152.9K

-24.34%

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

$44.92 MYR 184

$42.30 MYR 173

6.19%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.97

$8.93 MYR 36.55

1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 MYR 96.4

$25.54 MYR 105

-7.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.74 MYR 130

$29.54 MYR 121

7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 MYR 24.64

$10.01 MYR 40.98

-39.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MYR 19.74

$4.68 MYR 19.16

2.99%

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

$213 MYR 870

$144 MYR 587

48.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 MYR 28.1K

$6,063 MYR 24.8K

13.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.81 MYR 200

$66.3 MYR 272

-26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.01 MYR 94.2

$32.21 MYR 132

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 MYR 285

$86.7 MYR 355

-19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.68 MYR 199

$71.2 MYR 292

-31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 MYR 1,027

$284 MYR 1,163

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MYR 727

$207 MYR 848

-14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,451

$560 MYR 2,290

7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 MYR 1,721

$384 MYR 1,571

9.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,341

$2,033 MYR 8,319

0.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,676

$1,515 MYR 6,199

-24.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 MYR 2,724

$531 MYR 2,172

25.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Kepong: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Kepong 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.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kepong versus $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Kepong vs $242 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

Kepong vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $759 in Kepong, $778 in Kuching – roughly 2% apart. Kuching costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,139 per month in Kepong and $1,167 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Kepong and $144 in Kuching. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $759 in Kepong and $778 in Kuching, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $759 in Kepong to $778 in Kuching. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kepong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuching makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.