Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Gombak Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Gombak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $812 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,219 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,625 in Gombak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 5% less than in Gombak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Gombak 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.28

$2.54 MYR 10.07

11.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.2

$18.70 MYR 74.2

8.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$3.71 MYR 14.71

24.80%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.68

$2.24 MYR 8.89

8.93%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.67 MYR 2.66

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.33 MYR 1.32

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$3.59 MYR 14.25

-23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.13

$5.14 MYR 20.38

-30.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.82 MYR 7.21

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$0.97 MYR 3.83

15.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.49 MYR 5.91

-30.87%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.60

$1.89 MYR 7.51

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.62

$10.44 MYR 41.40

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.45

$3.46 MYR 13.72

12.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 31.86

$8.15 MYR 32.33

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.35

$2.78 MYR 11.03

11.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.39

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$2.47 MYR 9.81

4.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.04

$1.25 MYR 4.94

42.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$1.18 MYR 4.70

-3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.66

$1.04 MYR 4.11

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$0.90 MYR 3.57

93.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.50 MYR 2.00

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.15 MYR 16.46

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 84.8

$20.52 MYR 81.4

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.34

$2.73 MYR 10.82

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$3.99 MYR 15.82

-12.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.68 MYR 2.70

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.14

$11.85 MYR 46.99

-1.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.53

$1.10 MYR 4.35

3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.27

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-56.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.99

-2.00%

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

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

$30.9K MYR 122.7K

45.43%

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

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

$28.0K MYR 110.9K

28.81%

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

$41.77 MYR 166

$40.18 MYR 159

3.96%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$9.91 MYR 39.29

-9.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 99.4

$22.66 MYR 89.9

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$36.48 MYR 145

-19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.08

$5.93 MYR 23.52

61.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.77

$4.97 MYR 19.71

-4.83%

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

$143 MYR 569

$116 MYR 461

23.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

$4,242 MYR 16.8K

43.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 261

$49.33 MYR 196

33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$27.02 MYR 107

18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 340

$53.1 MYR 211

61.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 289

$49.58 MYR 197

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,093

$383 MYR 1,521

-28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 798

$269 MYR 1,065

-25.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,243

$637 MYR 2,524

-11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$475 MYR 1,884

-18.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,560

$2,056 MYR 8,152

5.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,219

$961 MYR 3,809

63.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,201

$566 MYR 2,243

-1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.96

7.83%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gombak: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $383 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gombak pays 2% 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $19.00 in Gombak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $233 per month, with Gombak 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 Gombak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Gombak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuching the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gombak earns 2% less. 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: $276 in Kuching versus $383 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $19.00 in Gombak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $774 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuching hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Gombak 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 5% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.