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: $804 in Kuching versus $869 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $1,333 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $1,797 in Kedah.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 7% less than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Kedah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$3.10 MYR 12.26

-9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$20.93 MYR 82.7

-4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$4.12 MYR 16.26

13.59%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.92 MYR 11.52

-16.10%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.74 MYR 2.91

1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.36 MYR 1.44

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$4.53 MYR 17.91

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.81 MYR 7.16

4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$0.92 MYR 3.65

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.21 MYR 4.78

-15.70%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.06 MYR 8.15

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$14.78 MYR 58.4

-35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$4.98 MYR 19.67

-25.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$14.83 MYR 58.6

-46.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$2.78 MYR 10.99

10.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.20 MYR 4.76

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$2.71 MYR 10.70

-3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.15 MYR 8.51

-15.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.17 MYR 4.64

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.18 MYR 4.64

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$0.95 MYR 3.74

83.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.45 MYR 1.77

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.32 MYR 17.08

-2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$19.89 MYR 78.6

8.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$2.69 MYR 10.61

42.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$3.54 MYR 13.96

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.68 MYR 2.70

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$11.59 MYR 45.78

2.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.72 MYR 2.86

36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$0.47 MYR 1.85

136.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$6.96 MYR 27.49

-72.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-4.08%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

36.56%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

33.40%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$37.91 MYR 150

7.78%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$10.09 MYR 39.84

-9.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$11.64 MYR 45.97

114.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$37.47 MYR 148

-21.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$5.95 MYR 23.49

65.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$2.77 MYR 10.95

70.40%

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

$145 MYR 575

$238 MYR 942

-39.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

-1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$54.7 MYR 216

20.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$29.36 MYR 116

8.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$61.0 MYR 241

41.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$52.8 MYR 208

35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$394 MYR 1,558

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$265 MYR 1,046

-23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$656 MYR 2,590

-13.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$470 MYR 1,858

-19.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$1,947 MYR 7,692

7.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$795 MYR 3,142

95.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$1,390 MYR 5,491

-60.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.16

2.64%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kedah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $394 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 151% 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 $21.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $272 per month, with Kuching 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 8% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $869 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kedah earns 151% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $394 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $145 in Kuching versus $238 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 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 8% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.