Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Cheras Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Cheras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Kuching vs $829 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Kuching vs $1,293 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Kuching vs $1,757 in Cheras, rent included.

Kuching is about 3% cheaper than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuching and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 40% lower, Cheras 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$3.48 MYR 14.13

-20.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$18.77 MYR 76.1

8.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$4.59 MYR 18.63

4.79%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$3.03 MYR 12.27

-16.50%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.79 MYR 3.19

-3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$4.78 MYR 19.38

-41.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$6.64 MYR 26.94

-45.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.79 MYR 7.28

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.93 MYR 3.77

17.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.26 MYR 5.10

-15.87%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.06 MYR 8.37

4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$15.44 MYR 62.6

-39.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$3.58 MYR 14.50

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$7.46 MYR 30.26

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.76 MYR 11.18

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-35.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.45 MYR 9.92

5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$1.26 MYR 5.09

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.52 MYR 6.16

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.34 MYR 5.43

-7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$0.93 MYR 3.79

81.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.56 MYR 2.28

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$14.50 MYR 58.8

47.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$2.83 MYR 11.48

36.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$3.78 MYR 15.33

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.48 MYR 1.96

-52.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.95 MYR 48.44

-0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.98 MYR 3.95

-5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.02 MYR 4.14

8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$9.49 MYR 38.47

-80.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.49 MYR 1.99

2.04%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

-9.70%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

17.64%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$41.77 MYR 169

-1.27%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$9.30 MYR 37.72

-4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$30.42 MYR 123

-16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$40.98 MYR 166

-27.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.73 MYR 23.23

70.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$5.09 MYR 20.62

-9.04%

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

$141 MYR 572

$190 MYR 769

-25.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

-11.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$64.7 MYR 262

1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$34.30 MYR 139

-6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$73.9 MYR 300

16.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$48.61 MYR 197

47.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$372 MYR 1,507

-23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$237 MYR 961

-13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$656 MYR 2,661

-15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$420 MYR 1,703

-8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$1,175 MYR 4,765

-53.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.07

4.91%

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

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Kuching versus $372 in Cheras. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 113% higher in Cheras, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching versus $19.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $236 – making Cheras 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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,203 per month in Kuching and $1,244 in Cheras. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Cheras – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching and $19.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Cheras at $829. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuching – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.