Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Kuching

🙂 Solo nomad: Kota Bharu is 3.5% cheaper than Kuching without rent, and 18% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kota Bharu is 14.3% cheaper than Kuching without rent, and 5.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 MYR 7.06

$2.89 MYR 11.42

-38.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.94 MYR 82.7

$19.78 MYR 78.2

5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 16.82

$4.76 MYR 18.81

-10.50%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MYR 9.06

$2.45 MYR 9.69

-6.53%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.70 MYR 2.77

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.07

$0.30 MYR 1.17

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.23

$2.90 MYR 11.44

50.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MYR 16.79

$3.60 MYR 14.21

18.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$1.87 MYR 7.40

-19.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-33.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 MYR 3.26

$1.02 MYR 4.05

-18.63%

Eggs

$1.47 MYR 5.83

$2.19 MYR 8.65

-32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 MYR 58.5

$9.74 MYR 38.47

52.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.54

$3.85 MYR 15.23

-24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 MYR 23.55

$8.02 MYR 31.69

-25.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$2.99 MYR 11.80

-53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.44

$1.10 MYR 4.36

25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.52

$2.53 MYR 10.00

-44.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$1.82 MYR 7.18

-53.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.31

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.24 MYR 4.92

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.74

$1.68 MYR 6.62

-43.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MYR 11.63

$4.19 MYR 16.56

-29.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 77.9

$21.67 MYR 85.6

-8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MYR 5.62

$3.88 MYR 15.34

-63.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.44

$3.49 MYR 13.77

-2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$0.25 MYR 0.99

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.91 MYR 47.05

$11.85 MYR 46.82

0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.93 MYR 3.67

-22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.14

$1.10 MYR 4.34

-50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 MYR 14.19

$1.95 MYR 7.69

84.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.49 MYR 1.95

-6.12%

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

$30.5K MYR 120.4K

$45.7K MYR 180.7K

-33.38%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

$37.0K MYR 146.0K

-25.02%

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

$38.69 MYR 153

$41.74 MYR 165

-7.31%

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

$8.28 MYR 32.71

$8.98 MYR 35.46

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MYR 105

$25.04 MYR 98.9

6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 145

$29.52 MYR 117

24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 23.95

$9.91 MYR 39.14

-38.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.36

$4.60 MYR 18.17

-10.00%

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

$118 MYR 465

$140 MYR 555

-16.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,225 MYR 24.6K

$5,993 MYR 23.7K

3.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MYR 207

$66.8 MYR 264

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.74 MYR 74.0

$31.50 MYR 124

-40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 MYR 239

$84.4 MYR 333

-28.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 MYR 210

$71.2 MYR 281

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 MYR 1,029

$283 MYR 1,117

-7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 MYR 554

$207 MYR 819

-32.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 MYR 3,366

$559 MYR 2,207

52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,899

$390 MYR 1,542

23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MYR 8,565

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,569 MYR 6,196

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 MYR 1,205

$546 MYR 2,159

-44.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.27

-2.58%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: February 28, 2026

Last update for Kuching: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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