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: $870 in Kuching versus $843 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Kuching versus $1,334 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,926 in Kuching versus $1,824 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuching is roughly 3% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.86

$3.89 MYR 15.88

-12.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.5

$18.53 MYR 75.6

31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.18

$5.78 MYR 23.57

-14.36%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.10

$2.96 MYR 12.09

8.45%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$0.64 MYR 2.62

17.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.37 MYR 1.53

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.44

$2.93 MYR 11.94

62.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 24.94

$5.13 MYR 20.93

19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.72

$2.16 MYR 8.80

10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.37 MYR 5.61

-7.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.76

$1.32 MYR 5.39

-11.36%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$2.18 MYR 8.90

14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.56

$16.92 MYR 69.0

-32.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$3.46 MYR 14.12

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.78

$5.93 MYR 24.20

64.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.89

$1.67 MYR 6.82

89.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$1.01 MYR 4.11

32.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.09

$1.67 MYR 6.82

47.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.16 MYR 4.75

54.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$0.52 MYR 2.10

157.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.68

$0.76 MYR 3.09

115.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.44 MYR 1.81

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.31

$4.20 MYR 17.13

12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.0

$19.38 MYR 79.1

15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.78

$2.90 MYR 11.85

41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.94

$1.93 MYR 7.87

165.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.38

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.9

$16.15 MYR 65.9

-22.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.89 MYR 3.64

34.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.45

$2.40 MYR 9.77

251.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$0.59 MYR 2.40

37.29%

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

$41.2K MYR 167.9K

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

-8.55%

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

$36.5K MYR 148.9K

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

-6.02%

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

$35.66 MYR 145

$59.7 MYR 244

-40.27%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.70

$31.36 MYR 128

-67.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$31.26 MYR 128

-19.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$68.8 MYR 281

-56.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.83

$12.31 MYR 50.2

-0.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.60

$4.47 MYR 18.22

12.98%

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

$136 MYR 553

$129 MYR 528

4.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

-3.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 261

$66.1 MYR 270

-3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 151

$35.14 MYR 143

5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 365

$79.7 MYR 325

12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 263

$91.7 MYR 374

-29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,467

$219 MYR 892

64.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 987

$155 MYR 632

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,620

$487 MYR 1,988

31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,938

$338 MYR 1,378

40.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,582

$1,724 MYR 7,035

22.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,228

$1,139 MYR 4,646

34.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,186

$603 MYR 2,458

-11.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.5

-2.89%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $219 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kuching vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $232 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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Kuching. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Bintulu. 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: $360 in Kuching versus $219 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Kuching versus $843 in Bintulu – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 29% less than in Kuching. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu 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 Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Kuching. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.