Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Kuching versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Kuching versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,926 in Kuching versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 10% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, George Town 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.87

$3.36 MYR 13.72

1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.6

$15.02 MYR 61.3

62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.20

$4.75 MYR 19.39

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.11

$2.78 MYR 11.35

15.47%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$0.77 MYR 3.14

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.32 MYR 1.32

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.45

$2.44 MYR 9.96

95.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 24.96

$4.36 MYR 17.78

40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$1.80 MYR 7.36

32.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$1.09 MYR 4.45

16.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.69 MYR 6.89

-30.77%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.19

$2.22 MYR 9.06

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.59

$12.99 MYR 53.0

-12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.56

$4.30 MYR 17.55

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.81

$8.63 MYR 35.22

12.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.90

$2.43 MYR 9.93

30.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$1.48 MYR 6.05

-9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.10

$2.24 MYR 9.13

10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.22 MYR 4.96

46.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$0.92 MYR 3.77

45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$0.85 MYR 3.49

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.68

$0.77 MYR 3.15

112.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.54 MYR 2.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.33

$4.62 MYR 18.84

2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.1

$19.06 MYR 77.8

17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.79

$2.51 MYR 10.26

63.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.95

$3.59 MYR 14.65

42.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.38

$0.47 MYR 1.90

23.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 51.0

$10.93 MYR 44.63

14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-21.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.47 MYR 1.94

155.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.48

$6.71 MYR 27.41

25.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$0.76 MYR 3.10

6.58%

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

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-3.28%

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

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

27.30%

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

$35.66 MYR 146

$36.69 MYR 150

-2.81%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.73

$8.25 MYR 33.68

23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$29.93 MYR 122

-15.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$41.24 MYR 168

-27.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.87

$4.77 MYR 19.49

155.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.61

$4.71 MYR 19.23

7.22%

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

$136 MYR 553

$175 MYR 715

-22.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

44.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 261

$55.0 MYR 225

16.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 152

$34.40 MYR 140

7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 365

$73.1 MYR 298

22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 263

$71.2 MYR 291

-9.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,468

$498 MYR 2,034

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 988

$373 MYR 1,524

-35.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,622

$919 MYR 3,750

-30.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,939

$980 MYR 4,001

-51.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,589

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,233

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,188

$1,081 MYR 4,414

-50.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.24

3.07%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kuching vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $239 per month, with George Town 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% lower in George Town. 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: $360 in Kuching versus $498 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 14% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $136 in Kuching versus $175 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $870 in Kuching versus $969 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and George Town 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.