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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $769 per month in Kepong vs $774 in Kuching, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,235 per month in Kepong vs $1,217 in Kuching, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,701 per month in Kepong vs $1,660 in Kuching, rent included.

Kepong is about 1% 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

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$2.84 MYR 11.28

21.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.8

$20.23 MYR 80.2

-5.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$4.63 MYR 18.35

3.46%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.44 MYR 9.68

15.98%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.13

$0.69 MYR 2.75

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.58

$0.32 MYR 1.28

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 MYR 14.11

$2.76 MYR 10.95

28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 MYR 20.31

$3.56 MYR 14.13

43.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.12 MYR 4.45

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.98

$1.03 MYR 4.08

22.33%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.02

$2.17 MYR 8.60

4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 60.3

$9.74 MYR 38.62

56.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MYR 20.55

$3.90 MYR 15.45

32.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.80

$8.04 MYR 31.86

31.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.83

$3.11 MYR 12.35

-12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.67

$1.11 MYR 4.39

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.69

$2.58 MYR 10.22

-5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.73

$1.78 MYR 7.04

-33.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.44

$1.14 MYR 4.52

20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.48

$1.17 MYR 4.66

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.76

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-45.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.46

$0.53 MYR 2.11

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$4.14 MYR 16.42

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 MYR 58.6

$21.39 MYR 84.8

-30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.47

$3.87 MYR 15.34

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$3.50 MYR 13.89

-18.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.25 MYR 0.99

192.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 46.67

$11.64 MYR 46.14

1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.87

$0.91 MYR 3.60

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.14 MYR 4.53

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MYR 37.23

$1.83 MYR 7.27

413.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-4.08%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.4K

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

-30.83%

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

$28.4K MYR 112.5K

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

-21.23%

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

$45.45 MYR 180

$41.77 MYR 166

8.81%

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

$8.90 MYR 35.27

$8.95 MYR 35.50

-0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 MYR 94.6

$25.07 MYR 99.4

-4.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.97 MYR 127

$29.40 MYR 117

8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 MYR 23.13

$9.60 MYR 38.08

-39.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.14

$4.73 MYR 18.77

7.40%

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

$212 MYR 842

$143 MYR 569

48.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,999 MYR 27.7K

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

15.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 MYR 195

$65.9 MYR 261

-25.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.80 MYR 94.4

$31.95 MYR 127

-25.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 MYR 280

$85.9 MYR 340

-17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.90 MYR 190

$73.0 MYR 289

-34.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 MYR 975

$276 MYR 1,093

-10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 691

$201 MYR 798

-13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,424

$566 MYR 2,243

8.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,678

$387 MYR 1,536

9.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 MYR 7,585

$2,159 MYR 8,560

-11.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 MYR 3,803

$1,568 MYR 6,219

-38.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 MYR 2,617

$555 MYR 2,201

18.90%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Kepong versus $276 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 19% 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 – $252 in Kepong vs $246 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: $769 in Kepong, $774 in Kuching – roughly 1% apart. Kuching costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,153 per month in Kepong and $1,161 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 1% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $212 per month in Kepong and $143 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 $769 in Kepong and $774 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 $769 in Kepong to $774 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.