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 $1,057 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $909 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,312 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,190 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,714 in Sarawak, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 16% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 21% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 MYR 18.39

$3.46 MYR 13.65

34.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.64 MYR 113

$18.70 MYR 73.9

53.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.92

$5.41 MYR 21.37

-11.46%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.27

$2.70 MYR 10.66

15.19%

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

$0.90 MYR 3.55

$0.79 MYR 3.11

13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.39 MYR 1.55

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 16.80

$7.72 MYR 30.51

-44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$8.13 MYR 32.13

-28.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.79 MYR 7.07

13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.99 MYR 3.92

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.76

$1.23 MYR 4.87

39.02%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 8.89

$2.04 MYR 8.08

10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 MYR 58.7

$15.06 MYR 59.5

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.10

$2.65 MYR 10.48

72.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 37.78

$9.60 MYR 37.93

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 11.86

$2.99 MYR 11.81

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.15

$1.46 MYR 5.75

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.69

$2.50 MYR 9.88

8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.94

$1.43 MYR 5.65

4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.22 MYR 4.82

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.55

$1.28 MYR 5.04

10.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.04 MYR 4.09

13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.63 MYR 2.47

7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.25

$4.16 MYR 16.41

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 MYR 74.0

$16.22 MYR 64.1

15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.25

$2.86 MYR 11.28

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$2.97 MYR 11.74

47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$0.73 MYR 2.87

-5.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 45.83

$11.56 MYR 45.65

0.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.70

$1.20 MYR 4.75

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.52

$0.99 MYR 3.90

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MYR 18.79

$5.91 MYR 23.35

-19.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$39.4K MYR 155.8K

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

12.02%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.5K

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

1.01%

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

$64.5 MYR 255

$42.70 MYR 169

50.98%

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

$11.67 MYR 46.09

$8.86 MYR 34.99

31.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MYR 101

$28.95 MYR 114

-11.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.58 MYR 180

$37.04 MYR 146

23.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 MYR 29.90

$6.03 MYR 23.82

25.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MYR 20.27

$4.90 MYR 19.34

4.69%

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

$266 MYR 1,051

$187 MYR 737

42.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,264 MYR 36.6K

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

32.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MYR 239

$35.88 MYR 142

68.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 MYR 146

$39.15 MYR 155

-5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MYR 336

$78.7 MYR 311

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MYR 313

$57.5 MYR 227

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 MYR 2,252

$326 MYR 1,289

74.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,440

$270 MYR 1,065

35.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 MYR 4,262

$500 MYR 1,977

115.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,554

$356 MYR 1,405

81.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,015 MYR 15.9K

$1,754 MYR 6,928

128.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,063

$886 MYR 3,498

73.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 MYR 6,151

$429 MYR 1,696

262.70%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $570 in Kuala Lumpur versus $326 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 263% 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 in Kuala Lumpur versus $19 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $240 – 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,364 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 12% 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 $909, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,057. 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.