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: $777 in Kuching versus $863 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Kuching versus $1,326 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Kuching versus $1,790 in Kedah.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 10% less than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Kedah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$2.98 MYR 12.17

-6.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.3

$21.22 MYR 86.7

-3.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.75

$4.13 MYR 16.85

11.14%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.83 MYR 11.55

-8.83%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.68 MYR 2.77

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.34 MYR 1.38

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$4.44 MYR 18.12

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$4.51 MYR 18.42

-17.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.87 MYR 7.65

1.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$0.95 MYR 3.90

13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.12 MYR 8.66

3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.13

$15.11 MYR 61.7

-36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.69

$5.18 MYR 21.15

-25.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.57

$14.66 MYR 59.9

-43.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$2.91 MYR 11.90

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.19 MYR 4.88

-3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$2.69 MYR 11.00

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$2.09 MYR 8.55

-15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.13 MYR 4.61

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$1.18 MYR 4.81

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.98

$0.95 MYR 3.88

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.45 MYR 1.83

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.23 MYR 17.26

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.5

$21.23 MYR 86.7

-3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.85

$2.64 MYR 10.77

46.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$3.41 MYR 13.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-66.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.17

$11.81 MYR 48.24

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$0.72 MYR 2.95

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$0.50 MYR 2.06

126.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.77

$6.89 MYR 28.15

-72.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

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

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

36.25%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

33.39%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$39.27 MYR 160

6.49%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.67

$10.03 MYR 40.95

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$11.86 MYR 48.45

115.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$36.69 MYR 150

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.05

$5.81 MYR 23.71

68.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.93

$2.80 MYR 11.44

65.71%

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

$143 MYR 585

$235 MYR 961

-39.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

-1.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$55.4 MYR 226

19.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$29.00 MYR 118

8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 357

$62.2 MYR 254

40.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$52.2 MYR 213

37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,159

$386 MYR 1,575

-26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 819

$265 MYR 1,084

-24.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,324

$632 MYR 2,580

-9.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$465 MYR 1,899

-16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,527

$2,134 MYR 8,714

-2.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,167

$1,171 MYR 4,781

28.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

$1,310 MYR 5,350

-59.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kedah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $386 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 147% 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 $277 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 11% in total monthly costs ($777 vs $863 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 147% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $386 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $143 in Kuching versus $235 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 11% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.