Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Kuching vs $859 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Kuching vs $1,310 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,678 per month in Kuching vs $1,762 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Kuching is about 9% cheaper than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuching and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 42% lower, Kangar, Perlis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$3.52 MYR 14.36

-20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.3

$19.01 MYR 77.6

7.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.75

$4.83 MYR 19.72

-4.97%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.77 MYR 11.30

-6.86%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.72 MYR 2.95

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$3.44 MYR 14.06

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$4.84 MYR 19.75

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.79 MYR 7.29

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$0.94 MYR 3.86

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.29 MYR 5.26

-18.60%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.13 MYR 8.68

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.13

$15.14 MYR 61.8

-36.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.69

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.57

$9.41 MYR 38.43

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.89 MYR 11.81

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.45 MYR 5.91

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$2.61 MYR 10.67

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.45 MYR 5.92

22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.18 MYR 4.83

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.07

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$1.04 MYR 4.23

64.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.55 MYR 2.27

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.33 MYR 17.69

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.5

$16.63 MYR 67.9

23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.85

$2.82 MYR 11.51

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$3.01 MYR 12.30

13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-67.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.16

$11.69 MYR 47.73

0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.16 MYR 4.73

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.02 MYR 4.17

10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.77

$5.80 MYR 23.67

-67.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

29.12%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

16.99%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$42.93 MYR 175

-2.59%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.66

$9.33 MYR 38.10

-1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$28.91 MYR 118

-11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$36.62 MYR 150

-18.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.04

$6.00 MYR 24.49

63.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.93

$4.86 MYR 19.86

-4.53%

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

$143 MYR 585

$187 MYR 763

-23.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

-9.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$61.5 MYR 251

7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$27.36 MYR 112

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 357

$72.0 MYR 294

21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$51.3 MYR 210

39.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,159

$394 MYR 1,609

-27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 819

$268 MYR 1,096

-25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,323

$646 MYR 2,639

-11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$469 MYR 1,914

-17.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,526

$2,332 MYR 9,522

-10.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,166

$1,271 MYR 5,191

18.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $394 in Kangar, Perlis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Kuching vs $247 in Kangar, Perlis – so Kuching wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $777 in Kuching, $859 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 10% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,166 per month in Kuching and $1,288 in Kangar, Perlis. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching and $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $777 in Kuching and $859 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $777 in Kuching and $859 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $777 in Kuching to $859 in Kangar, Perlis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Kangar, Perlis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.