Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,048 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $900 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,286 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,117 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,673 in Sarawak, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 16% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 22% lower, Sarawak 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 MYR 18.87

$3.64 MYR 14.79

27.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.84 MYR 117

$18.77 MYR 76.4

53.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 19.25

$5.28 MYR 21.46

-10.42%

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.51

$2.76 MYR 11.23

11.59%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.71

$0.74 MYR 3.01

22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.39 MYR 1.60

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 16.99

$7.91 MYR 32.16

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.87

$8.29 MYR 33.71

-29.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.11

$1.89 MYR 7.69

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$1.00 MYR 4.07

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.29 MYR 5.23

34.88%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.77

$2.04 MYR 8.28

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 MYR 59.6

$14.95 MYR 60.8

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.37

$2.55 MYR 10.39

77.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.97

$9.68 MYR 39.35

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.62

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.68

$1.48 MYR 6.00

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.13

$2.58 MYR 10.48

6.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.20

$1.45 MYR 5.90

4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.22 MYR 4.97

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.62

$1.33 MYR 5.40

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.00 MYR 4.09

16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.60

$0.67 MYR 2.73

-4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.78

$4.29 MYR 17.46

-3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.03 MYR 77.4

$17.42 MYR 70.9

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.66

$2.82 MYR 11.49

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.39

$2.99 MYR 12.15

43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.69 MYR 2.82

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.99

$11.98 MYR 48.71

-1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$1.15 MYR 4.67

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$0.98 MYR 3.99

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 MYR 19.10

$5.92 MYR 24.06

-20.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.49 MYR 2.01

4.08%

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

$40.4K MYR 164.3K

$34.9K MYR 142.1K

15.65%

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

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

$31.9K MYR 129.8K

2.78%

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

$63.6 MYR 258

$43.20 MYR 176

47.11%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.75

$8.94 MYR 36.36

28.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 104

$29.23 MYR 119

-12.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.64 MYR 186

$37.24 MYR 151

22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.61 MYR 30.96

$6.00 MYR 24.39

26.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.49

$5.06 MYR 20.59

-0.40%

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

$263 MYR 1,070

$189 MYR 770

38.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,446 MYR 38.4K

$6,935 MYR 28.2K

36.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$36.81 MYR 150

66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.36 MYR 152

$39.24 MYR 160

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 MYR 345

$76.9 MYR 313

10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 MYR 326

$56.1 MYR 228

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 MYR 2,354

$324 MYR 1,317

78.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MYR 1,489

$269 MYR 1,095

35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 MYR 4,350

$505 MYR 2,052

111.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,586

$360 MYR 1,463

76.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,242 MYR 17.3K

$1,935 MYR 7,870

119.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,498 MYR 6,092

$973 MYR 3,956

53.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,727 MYR 7,024

$420 MYR 1,708

311.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.07

9.83%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Kuala Lumpur versus $324 in Sarawak. 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 311% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $243 – making Sarawak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kuala Lumpur vs Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,572 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,350 in Sarawak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $19.00 in Sarawak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,048. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – 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 Sarawak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.