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: $777 in Kuching versus $796 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Kuching versus $1,228 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Kuching versus $1,661 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 2% less than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$3.83 MYR 15.63

-26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.3

$17.41 MYR 71.1

17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.75

$5.52 MYR 22.53

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.79 MYR 11.38

-7.53%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.66 MYR 2.71

7.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$2.84 MYR 11.61

1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$5.03 MYR 20.53

-25.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.72 MYR 7.03

9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$1.37 MYR 5.58

-21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-17.32%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.10 MYR 8.58

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.13

$16.76 MYR 68.4

-42.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.69

$3.47 MYR 14.18

10.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.57

$5.63 MYR 22.97

46.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$1.62 MYR 6.62

83.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$0.92 MYR 3.74

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$1.60 MYR 6.54

63.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.07 MYR 4.35

65.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$0.53 MYR 2.16

116.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.07

$1.19 MYR 4.87

4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$0.68 MYR 2.79

151.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.43 MYR 1.76

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.03 MYR 16.46

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.5

$19.73 MYR 80.6

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.85

$2.87 MYR 11.72

35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$1.93 MYR 7.87

76.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-80.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.16

$15.40 MYR 62.9

-23.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.98 MYR 4.00

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$0.93 MYR 3.80

21.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.77

$2.32 MYR 9.46

-18.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-9.09%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

7.11%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

0.59%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$57.3 MYR 234

-27.03%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.66

$9.36 MYR 38.21

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$29.91 MYR 122

-14.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$65.2 MYR 266

-54.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.04

$5.96 MYR 24.33

64.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.93

$4.19 MYR 17.10

10.74%

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

$143 MYR 585

$121 MYR 493

18.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

-12.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$61.6 MYR 251

7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$33.91 MYR 138

-7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 357

$76.4 MYR 312

14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$88.7 MYR 362

-19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,159

$214 MYR 875

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 819

$152 MYR 622

31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,323

$461 MYR 1,881

23.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$315 MYR 1,287

22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,526

$1,704 MYR 6,956

22.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,166

$1,154 MYR 4,711

30.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

$601 MYR 2,455

-11.81%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $214 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 13% 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 $17.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $224 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 2% 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, salaries run 13% 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: $284 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 $777 per month in Kuching versus $796 in Bintulu – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 31% 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 $777 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 2% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.