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: $778 in Kuching versus $810 in Gombak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Kuching versus $1,218 in Gombak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Kuching versus $1,626 in Gombak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 4% 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

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$2.65 MYR 10.86

5.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 80.5

$19.02 MYR 77.8

3.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.84

$3.66 MYR 14.99

32.51%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.31 MYR 9.46

10.39%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.69 MYR 2.81

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.49

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.67

$3.47 MYR 14.18

-17.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MYR 15.09

$5.03 MYR 20.56

-26.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.83 MYR 7.46

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$0.96 MYR 3.94

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-30.34%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$1.88 MYR 7.69

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.48

$10.75 MYR 43.97

-12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.24

$3.45 MYR 14.10

8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 MYR 33.72

$7.98 MYR 32.63

3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$2.74 MYR 11.22

10.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.56

$1.69 MYR 6.91

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.60

$2.49 MYR 10.16

4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.25 MYR 5.11

41.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.13 MYR 4.64

-1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.01

$1.03 MYR 4.22

19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MYR 6.88

$0.96 MYR 3.92

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.27 MYR 17.48

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 MYR 86.1

$19.27 MYR 78.8

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 MYR 15.20

$2.70 MYR 11.05

37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$3.83 MYR 15.65

-9.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.68 MYR 2.80

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 47.45

$11.64 MYR 47.63

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.03 MYR 4.21

-5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.10 MYR 4.49

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$4.21 MYR 17.24

-54.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-6.12%

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

$46.2K MYR 189.2K

$30.9K MYR 126.3K

49.81%

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

$37.4K MYR 152.8K

$27.8K MYR 113.7K

34.38%

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

$42.30 MYR 173

$41.04 MYR 168

3.07%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.53

$9.57 MYR 39.16

-6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MYR 104

$23.09 MYR 94.4

10.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.54 MYR 121

$36.23 MYR 148

-18.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.01 MYR 40.95

$5.83 MYR 23.84

71.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$5.04 MYR 20.60

-7.14%

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

$144 MYR 587

$119 MYR 487

20.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.8K

$4,236 MYR 17.3K

43.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$48.65 MYR 199

36.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 MYR 132

$27.37 MYR 112

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MYR 354

$54.4 MYR 223

59.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$48.32 MYR 198

47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,163

$385 MYR 1,576

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 MYR 847

$274 MYR 1,119

-24.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 MYR 2,289

$653 MYR 2,672

-14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,570

$472 MYR 1,931

-18.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 MYR 8,314

$1,780 MYR 7,282

14.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 MYR 6,195

$1,304 MYR 5,333

16.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 MYR 2,171

$551 MYR 2,252

-3.61%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Gombak: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $385 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gombak pays 4% 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 $242 vs $230 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 4% 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 4% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $385 in Gombak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gombak pay roughly 5% 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 $778 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 4% less than in Gombak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.