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 $1,063 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $910 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,313 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,148 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,716 in Sarawak, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 17% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.66

$3.57 MYR 14.59

34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.49 MYR 117

$18.74 MYR 76.6

52.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.67

$5.21 MYR 21.32

-7.68%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.54

$2.79 MYR 11.43

10.04%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.51

$0.79 MYR 3.21

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.39 MYR 1.60

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$7.67 MYR 31.38

-45.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 MYR 24.73

$8.42 MYR 34.42

-28.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$1.82 MYR 7.43

9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$1.00 MYR 4.08

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.81

$1.25 MYR 5.13

33.60%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$2.14 MYR 8.73

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 MYR 59.1

$14.84 MYR 60.7

-2.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 MYR 19.51

$2.57 MYR 10.49

85.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 MYR 40.35

$9.49 MYR 38.80

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.88 MYR 11.80

2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.72

$1.53 MYR 6.26

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 11.11

$2.50 MYR 10.23

8.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.20

$1.37 MYR 5.61

10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.01

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.73

$1.32 MYR 5.39

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$0.99 MYR 4.07

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$0.66 MYR 2.71

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.63

$4.18 MYR 17.09

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 MYR 75.5

$16.95 MYR 69.3

8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.43

$2.81 MYR 11.51

16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$3.04 MYR 12.42

41.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.72 MYR 2.96

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 48.68

$11.74 MYR 48.00

1.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.97

$1.20 MYR 4.90

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.03 MYR 4.20

5.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.76

$5.88 MYR 24.04

-17.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.50 MYR 2.06

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

15.64%

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

$32.4K MYR 132.6K

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

1.54%

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

$63.7 MYR 260

$43.10 MYR 176

47.75%

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

$11.37 MYR 46.49

$8.86 MYR 36.24

28.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.08 MYR 107

$29.05 MYR 119

-10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.62 MYR 191

$37.07 MYR 152

25.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.00 MYR 32.72

$6.04 MYR 24.69

32.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MYR 21.55

$4.98 MYR 20.38

5.82%

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

$266 MYR 1,090

$189 MYR 771

41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,540 MYR 39.0K

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

38.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 249

$36.25 MYR 148

68.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 MYR 150

$38.85 MYR 159

-5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MYR 349

$78.1 MYR 319

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 MYR 331

$56.1 MYR 229

44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,313

$329 MYR 1,347

71.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,487

$273 MYR 1,116

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MYR 4,457

$498 MYR 2,038

118.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,644

$356 MYR 1,455

81.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MYR 16.6K

$2,076 MYR 8,489

95.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,416 MYR 5,789

$1,136 MYR 4,646

24.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 MYR 6,420

$417 MYR 1,706

276.35%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Kuala Lumpur versus $329 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 276% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $19.00 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 17%, 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 $1,594 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 11% 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 $28.00 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 $910, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,063. 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.