Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kemaman Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kemaman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Kuching vs $954 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Kuching vs $1,407 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Kuching vs $1,860 in Kemaman, rent included.

Kuching is about 16% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuching and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 40% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$2.62 MYR 10.35

6.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$14.31 MYR 56.5

39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$3.83 MYR 15.14

22.19%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.31 MYR 9.12

6.06%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.49 MYR 1.92

53.06%

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

$4.17 MYR 16.49

-30.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$5.32 MYR 21.01

-31.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.01 MYR 4.00

10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$0.98 MYR 3.86

4.08%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$1.11 MYR 4.38

103.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$14.41 MYR 56.9

-33.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$3.70 MYR 14.60

0.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$9.41 MYR 37.17

-15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$3.86 MYR 15.23

-20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-32.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$3.42 MYR 13.50

-23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.55 MYR 10.09

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-36.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.03 MYR 4.07

20.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.13 MYR 4.45

53.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.46 MYR 1.81

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$20.31 MYR 80.2

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$4.22 MYR 16.68

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$5.39 MYR 21.29

-35.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.70 MYR 2.76

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$11.56 MYR 45.68

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.21 MYR 4.77

-19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.11 MYR 4.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$4.24 MYR 16.76

-54.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.50 MYR 1.96

-6.00%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

5.30%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

14.57%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$73.1 MYR 289

-44.07%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$9.97 MYR 39.38

-8.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$28.42 MYR 112

-12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$37.18 MYR 147

-20.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$6.03 MYR 23.83

63.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$5.61 MYR 22.16

-15.86%

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

$145 MYR 575

$116 MYR 456

25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$111 MYR 438

-40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$27.36 MYR 108

16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$74.2 MYR 293

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$79.6 MYR 314

-10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$393 MYR 1,551

-27.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$272 MYR 1,073

-25.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$654 MYR 2,583

-13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$471 MYR 1,861

-19.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$1,799 MYR 7,107

16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$881 MYR 3,481

76.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.96

7.83%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $393 in Kemaman. 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 $14.00 in Kemaman. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Kuching vs $273 in Kemaman – 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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kemaman is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,206 per month in Kuching and $1,431 in Kemaman. 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 $14.00 in Kemaman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $804 in Kuching and $954 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Kemaman at $954. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kemaman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuching – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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