Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Kuching versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Kuching is roughly 26% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Bukit Mertajam 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$1.85 MYR 7.32

51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$20.24 MYR 80.0

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$3.82 MYR 15.09

22.51%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.33 MYR 9.19

5.15%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.74 MYR 2.94

1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.33 MYR 1.32

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$3.02 MYR 11.93

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$4.74 MYR 18.71

-23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.68 MYR 6.63

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.13 MYR 4.47

-0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$0.61 MYR 2.41

67.21%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$1.86 MYR 7.34

21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-56.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$4.88 MYR 19.27

-23.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$10.54 MYR 41.64

-24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-29.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.71 MYR 6.75

-35.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.00 MYR 3.97

24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.07 MYR 4.22

62.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.36 MYR 1.44

47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.19 MYR 16.55

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$19.23 MYR 76.0

12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$2.56 MYR 10.10

35.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-65.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$11.90 MYR 47.00

-0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-3.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$4.17 MYR 16.49

-53.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-6.00%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

4.54%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

15.53%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$26.25 MYR 104

55.66%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$9.95 MYR 39.29

-8.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$28.38 MYR 112

-11.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$36.20 MYR 143

-18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$6.00 MYR 23.72

64.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$4.30 MYR 16.98

9.77%

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

$145 MYR 575

$117 MYR 461

24.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

41.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$11.96 MYR 47.25

450.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$63.0 MYR 249

-49.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$23.31 MYR 92.1

269.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$79.9 MYR 316

-10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$383 MYR 1,514

-25.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$59.0 MYR 233

243.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$647 MYR 2,556

-12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$467 MYR 1,845

-19.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$975 MYR 3,853

-43.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.96

7.83%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $297 per month, with Kuching 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $639 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 76% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $20.00 in Kuching. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $804 per month in Kuching versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $804 in Kuching, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Kuching. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Kuching. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.