Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Kuching versus $944 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Kuching versus $1,399 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,926 in Kuching versus $1,853 in Kedah.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 8% less than in Kedah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Kedah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.90

$3.51 MYR 14.38

-3.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.8

$12.36 MYR 50.6

97.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.25

$5.03 MYR 20.58

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$2.66 MYR 10.91

20.68%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$0.91 MYR 3.74

-17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.33 MYR 1.34

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.50

$2.41 MYR 9.87

97.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 25.02

$4.29 MYR 17.56

42.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.75

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-2.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$1.36 MYR 5.57

-6.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.76 MYR 7.20

-33.52%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.21

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.71

$15.65 MYR 64.0

-27.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$4.90 MYR 20.07

-12.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.91

$9.56 MYR 39.14

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.93

$2.36 MYR 9.65

33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.12

$2.28 MYR 9.32

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.34

$1.25 MYR 5.13

43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.50

$0.91 MYR 3.74

47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$0.79 MYR 3.23

45.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.70

$0.77 MYR 3.17

112.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.23

$0.65 MYR 2.66

-16.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.38

$4.66 MYR 19.08

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.3

$21.25 MYR 87.0

4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.84

$2.49 MYR 10.18

65.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 21.01

$3.63 MYR 14.85

41.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.39

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 51.1

$11.77 MYR 48.18

6.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.22 MYR 4.99

-22.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.50 MYR 2.06

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.56

$6.64 MYR 27.19

27.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.32

$0.60 MYR 2.45

35.00%

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

$41.2K MYR 168.5K

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

-1.55%

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

$36.5K MYR 149.4K

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

26.94%

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

$35.66 MYR 146

$50.7 MYR 207

-29.60%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.83

$7.98 MYR 32.64

28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$32.15 MYR 132

-21.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$39.87 MYR 163

-25.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.99

$5.78 MYR 23.67

111.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.67

$4.81 MYR 19.69

4.99%

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

$136 MYR 555

$171 MYR 698

-20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.4K

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 262

$54.5 MYR 223

17.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 152

$35.20 MYR 144

5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 366

$72.3 MYR 296

23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 264

$69.5 MYR 284

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,472

$416 MYR 1,701

-13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 991

$320 MYR 1,311

-24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,629

$693 MYR 2,837

-7.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,944

$451 MYR 1,847

5.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,611

$1,745 MYR 7,141

20.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,249

$1,006 MYR 4,117

51.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,194

$1,329 MYR 5,440

-59.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.43

-1.35%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $416 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 148% 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 $12.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $269 per month, with Kedah 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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching and Kedah differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $944 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 148% lower in Kedah. 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 $416 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $136 in Kuching versus $171 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kedah pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $870 in Kuching versus $944 in Kedah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Kedah 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 Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.