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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Kuching vs $839 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Kuching vs $1,272 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Kuching vs $1,704 in Cheras, rent included.

Kuching is about 4% cheaper than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$3.62 MYR 14.30

-22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$18.67 MYR 73.8

7.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$4.58 MYR 18.07

2.18%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.88 MYR 11.39

-14.93%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.84 MYR 3.30

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.46 MYR 1.81

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$4.66 MYR 18.41

-37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$6.48 MYR 25.60

-43.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.89 MYR 7.48

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$0.94 MYR 3.71

19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.23 MYR 4.87

-17.07%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.15 MYR 8.51

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$15.54 MYR 61.4

-38.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$3.58 MYR 14.16

4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$7.54 MYR 29.79

5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$2.65 MYR 10.46

16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-33.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$2.56 MYR 10.12

2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$1.25 MYR 4.94

44.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.53 MYR 6.06

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$0.88 MYR 3.48

97.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.56 MYR 2.23

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.22 MYR 16.66

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$14.51 MYR 57.3

48.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$2.72 MYR 10.76

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$3.95 MYR 15.58

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.46 MYR 1.81

-45.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$11.83 MYR 46.73

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.02 MYR 4.01

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.00 MYR 3.95

11.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$9.42 MYR 37.22

-79.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.46 MYR 1.84

2.17%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

-7.03%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

14.85%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$40.52 MYR 160

0.84%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$9.18 MYR 36.27

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$30.41 MYR 120

-17.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$41.09 MYR 162

-28.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$5.87 MYR 23.19

68.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$5.08 MYR 20.06

-7.09%

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

$145 MYR 575

$187 MYR 738

-22.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

-11.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$66.0 MYR 261

-0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$34.18 MYR 135

-6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$74.2 MYR 293

15.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$48.12 MYR 190

48.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$377 MYR 1,489

-24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$231 MYR 913

-12.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$651 MYR 2,571

-12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$429 MYR 1,693

-11.78%

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

$1,233 MYR 4,871

-55.11%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cheras: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $377 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 123% 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: $245 vs $237 – 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 4%, 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 $1,206 per month in Kuching and $1,259 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $804 in Kuching and $839 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.