Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Kuching vs $848 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Kuching vs $1,302 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Kuching vs $1,756 in Butterworth, rent included.

Kuching is about 5% cheaper than Butterworth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuching and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 40% lower, Butterworth 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$3.01 MYR 12.20

-8.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$21.47 MYR 87.1

-5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$4.81 MYR 19.49

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$2.84 MYR 11.53

-10.92%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.69 MYR 2.78

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.36 MYR 1.47

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$4.21 MYR 17.08

-33.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$4.34 MYR 17.60

-16.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.89 MYR 7.68

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.04 MYR 4.20

4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.73 MYR 7.00

-38.73%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.12 MYR 8.59

1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$14.32 MYR 58.1

-34.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$4.61 MYR 18.71

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$9.95 MYR 40.36

-19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.78 MYR 11.28

7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.44 MYR 5.83

-20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$1.45 MYR 5.88

24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.21 MYR 4.92

2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$0.95 MYR 3.84

77.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.45 MYR 1.83

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.25 MYR 17.25

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$19.51 MYR 79.1

9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$2.72 MYR 11.03

42.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$3.42 MYR 13.86

-0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-67.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.97 MYR 48.55

-0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.68 MYR 2.75

36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$0.50 MYR 2.05

122.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$4.82 MYR 19.53

-61.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.50 MYR 2.01

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$33.2K MYR 134.7K

34.22%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

35.11%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$39.38 MYR 160

4.72%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$10.27 MYR 41.64

-13.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$25.38 MYR 103

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$36.37 MYR 147

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.93 MYR 24.03

64.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$5.08 MYR 20.59

-8.86%

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

$141 MYR 572

$240 MYR 971

-41.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$6,304 MYR 25.6K

-3.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$55.8 MYR 226

18.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$28.30 MYR 115

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$60.2 MYR 244

42.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$52.5 MYR 213

36.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$383 MYR 1,553

-25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$269 MYR 1,093

-24.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$641 MYR 2,599

-13.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$474 MYR 1,921

-18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$1,978 MYR 8,021

8.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$955 MYR 3,873

60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.16

2.64%

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

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Kuching versus $383 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $256 – making Kuching 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

Kuching vs Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $802 in Kuching, $848 in Butterworth – roughly 6% apart. Butterworth costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,203 per month in Kuching and $1,272 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuching, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $802 in Kuching and $848 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Kuching. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $802 in Kuching and $848 in Butterworth, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $802 in Kuching to $848 in Butterworth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kuching. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Butterworth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.