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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Kuching vs $859 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Kuching vs $1,289 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,678 per month in Kuching vs $1,719 in Cheras, rent included.

Kuching is about 9% cheaper than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuching and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 42% lower, Cheras 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$3.47 MYR 14.18

-19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.3

$18.95 MYR 77.4

7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.75

$4.67 MYR 19.07

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.92 MYR 11.91

-11.64%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.79 MYR 3.21

-10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$4.73 MYR 19.30

-39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$6.50 MYR 26.56

-42.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.87 MYR 7.63

1.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$1.00 MYR 4.06

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.30 MYR 5.29

-19.23%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.10 MYR 8.56

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.13

$15.64 MYR 63.9

-38.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.69

$3.73 MYR 15.22

2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.57

$7.73 MYR 31.55

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.75 MYR 11.21

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-34.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$2.57 MYR 10.49

1.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.26 MYR 5.14

40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.46 MYR 5.97

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.07

$1.40 MYR 5.72

-11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$0.89 MYR 3.63

92.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.55 MYR 2.26

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.31 MYR 17.59

-2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.5

$13.81 MYR 56.4

48.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.85

$2.73 MYR 11.15

42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$3.92 MYR 16.00

-13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.46 MYR 1.88

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.16

$11.99 MYR 48.97

-1.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.03 MYR 4.19

-6.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.03 MYR 4.20

9.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.77

$9.14 MYR 37.34

-79.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.90

8.70%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

$49.6K MYR 202.6K

-7.48%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

$31.7K MYR 129.3K

17.58%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$41.39 MYR 169

1.04%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.66

$9.03 MYR 36.88

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$30.43 MYR 124

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$41.27 MYR 169

-27.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.04

$5.94 MYR 24.24

65.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.93

$4.87 MYR 19.89

-4.72%

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

$143 MYR 585

$185 MYR 756

-22.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

-12.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$65.1 MYR 266

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$34.18 MYR 140

-8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 357

$71.8 MYR 293

21.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$48.69 MYR 199

47.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,159

$382 MYR 1,561

-25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 819

$231 MYR 945

-13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,323

$655 MYR 2,672

-13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$426 MYR 1,741

-9.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,526

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,166

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

$1,191 MYR 4,865

-55.50%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $382 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 125% 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 $238 – 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 10%, 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 $1,166 per month in Kuching and $1,288 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 2% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $777 in Kuching and $859 in Cheras, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.