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: $802 in Kuching versus $868 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $1,344 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $1,819 in Kedah.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 8% 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

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$3.02 MYR 12.24

-8.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$21.42 MYR 86.9

-5.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$4.28 MYR 17.34

12.38%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$2.95 MYR 11.95

-14.24%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.74 MYR 3.02

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.37 MYR 1.48

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$4.40 MYR 17.83

-36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$4.48 MYR 18.18

-19.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.81 MYR 7.34

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$0.91 MYR 3.67

19.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-12.40%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.11 MYR 8.58

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$15.33 MYR 62.2

-38.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$5.00 MYR 20.26

-24.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$14.66 MYR 59.5

-45.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.88 MYR 11.69

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$2.17 MYR 8.81

-17.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.16 MYR 4.71

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$0.97 MYR 3.92

74.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.48 MYR 1.95

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.13 MYR 16.75

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$19.59 MYR 79.5

9.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$2.64 MYR 10.69

46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$3.37 MYR 13.66

1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.68 MYR 2.77

-66.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.77 MYR 47.71

1.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.69 MYR 2.82

34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$0.47 MYR 1.92

136.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$6.98 MYR 28.32

-73.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.49 MYR 2.00

2.04%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

33.13%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

36.42%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$38.49 MYR 156

7.14%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$9.99 MYR 40.49

-10.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$11.96 MYR 48.51

112.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$36.49 MYR 148

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.85 MYR 23.74

67.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$2.81 MYR 11.40

64.77%

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

$141 MYR 572

$238 MYR 963

-40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

-2.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$55.4 MYR 225

18.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$28.32 MYR 115

12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$62.0 MYR 251

38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$52.5 MYR 213

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$380 MYR 1,540

-24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$270 MYR 1,093

-24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$646 MYR 2,620

-13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$465 MYR 1,885

-16.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$1,964 MYR 7,963

9.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$957 MYR 3,880

60.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$1,322 MYR 5,359

-58.23%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kedah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $380 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 139% 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 $243 vs $273 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 ($802 vs $868 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kedah earns 139% 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: $285 in Kuching versus $380 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $141 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 12% 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.