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: $889 in Kuching versus $971 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,435 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $1,899 in Gombak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 8% less than in Gombak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Gombak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$3.75 MYR 15.24

-5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$24.33 MYR 99.0

3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$5.04 MYR 20.51

-2.18%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$3.06 MYR 12.45

9.48%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.89 MYR 3.61

-10.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$3.25 MYR 13.24

42.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$5.87 MYR 23.87

3.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$1.96 MYR 7.96

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.05 MYR 4.26

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.51 MYR 6.15

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$1.80 MYR 7.32

42.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$10.03 MYR 40.81

14.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$3.21 MYR 13.07

38.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$9.83 MYR 39.99

-1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$3.49 MYR 14.20

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.95 MYR 7.95

-31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.65 MYR 10.78

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.83 MYR 7.43

1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$2.12 MYR 8.61

-25.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.98 MYR 8.05

-41.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$1.51 MYR 6.13

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.53 MYR 2.16

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$4.72 MYR 19.21

1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$19.16 MYR 77.9

10.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$2.71 MYR 11.03

50.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$4.52 MYR 18.38

12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$12.29 MYR 49.99

2.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.36 MYR 1.46

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$9.46 MYR 38.47

-6.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.72 MYR 2.94

18.06%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$41.8K MYR 170.0K

1.62%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$33.1K MYR 134.7K

10.91%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$49.11 MYR 200

-27.98%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$8.30 MYR 33.76

23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$26.69 MYR 109

-9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$40.92 MYR 166

-24.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$6.51 MYR 26.47

88.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$3.18 MYR 12.95

54.40%

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

$135 MYR 551

$285 MYR 1,160

-52.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$10.5K MYR 42.8K

-31.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$52.1 MYR 212

21.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$29.69 MYR 121

27.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$78.1 MYR 318

16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$85.7 MYR 349

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$426 MYR 1,733

-12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$329 MYR 1,338

-26.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$698 MYR 2,841

-7.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$495 MYR 2,015

-8.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$2,104 MYR 8,561

0.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$1,139 MYR 4,634

36.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

$557 MYR 2,265

-1.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.51

-3.10%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gombak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $426 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: $25.00 in Kuching vs $24.00 in Gombak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $251 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 9% 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, salaries run 2% lower in Gombak. 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: $371 in Kuching versus $426 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 9% 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 $25.00 versus $24.00 in Gombak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $889 in Kuching versus $971 in Gombak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Gombak. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $889 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 9% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.