Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Kuching versus $794 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Kuching versus $1,221 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,626 in Kuching versus $1,647 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 1% less than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 41% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 MYR 11.32

$3.70 MYR 15.03

-24.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.16 MYR 81.9

$17.66 MYR 71.8

14.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.60

$5.72 MYR 23.25

-19.93%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.29

$2.77 MYR 11.27

-8.66%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$0.62 MYR 2.51

20.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.40 MYR 1.61

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.20

$2.77 MYR 11.26

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 MYR 14.93

$5.08 MYR 20.66

-27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.75

$1.81 MYR 7.37

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.33 MYR 5.39

-18.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.33

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-19.08%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$2.09 MYR 8.51

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 MYR 39.53

$16.47 MYR 67.0

-40.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$3.39 MYR 13.79

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 MYR 32.13

$5.83 MYR 23.70

35.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MYR 12.07

$1.68 MYR 6.82

76.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$0.90 MYR 3.67

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.17

$1.62 MYR 6.60

54.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.12

$1.11 MYR 4.50

57.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.65

$0.50 MYR 2.02

128.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.15 MYR 4.67

7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.86

$0.69 MYR 2.80

144.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.40 MYR 1.61

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.49

$3.97 MYR 16.13

8.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.77 MYR 84.4

$19.37 MYR 78.7

7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.72

$2.91 MYR 11.83

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.66

$1.93 MYR 7.83

74.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$1.17 MYR 4.74

-78.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.12

$15.67 MYR 63.7

-26.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$0.97 MYR 3.96

-5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.91 MYR 3.71

19.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$2.32 MYR 9.44

-17.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-9.62%

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

$44.5K MYR 181.0K

$43.1K MYR 175.1K

3.36%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.6K

$37.7K MYR 153.2K

-1.08%

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

$41.77 MYR 170

$59.2 MYR 241

-29.47%

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

$8.90 MYR 36.17

$8.91 MYR 36.23

-0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.88 MYR 101

$29.35 MYR 119

-15.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 MYR 119

$65.4 MYR 266

-55.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.75 MYR 39.65

$6.07 MYR 24.66

60.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.54

$4.26 MYR 17.32

12.91%

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

$143 MYR 581

$121 MYR 492

18.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,177 MYR 25.1K

$7,135 MYR 29.0K

-13.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MYR 266

$61.7 MYR 251

6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.65 MYR 129

$33.43 MYR 136

-5.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 353

$76.5 MYR 311

13.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 MYR 294

$89.8 MYR 365

-19.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,133

$214 MYR 871

30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 MYR 839

$149 MYR 607

38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 MYR 2,293

$468 MYR 1,904

20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,560

$315 MYR 1,281

21.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 MYR 8,263

$1,753 MYR 7,127

15.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,519 MYR 6,175

$1,181 MYR 4,800

28.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 MYR 2,160

$620 MYR 2,518

-14.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.5

-5.11%

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

Last update for Kuching: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $214 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $223 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

Kuching vs Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Bintulu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuching the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bintulu earns 17% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $279 in Kuching versus $214 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $790 per month in Kuching versus $794 in Bintulu – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 35% less than in Bintulu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $790 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuching hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Bintulu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.