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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $870 per month in Kuching vs $909 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,398 per month in Kuching vs $1,334 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,926 per month in Kuching vs $1,760 in Kemaman, rent included.

Kuching is about 4% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuching and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 36% lower, Kemaman 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.90

$2.73 MYR 11.18

24.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.8

$14.83 MYR 60.7

64.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.25

$4.33 MYR 17.73

14.32%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$3.13 MYR 12.82

2.56%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$0.48 MYR 1.96

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.39 MYR 1.58

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.50

$3.42 MYR 13.98

39.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 25.02

$5.79 MYR 23.71

5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.75

$1.89 MYR 7.72

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$1.05 MYR 4.28

20.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.00 MYR 4.09

17.00%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.21

$1.15 MYR 4.70

116.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.71

$10.11 MYR 41.39

12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.60

$3.23 MYR 13.21

33.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.91

$9.43 MYR 38.61

3.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.93

$3.57 MYR 14.59

-11.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-29.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.12

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-11.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.34

$1.77 MYR 7.26

1.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.50

$2.15 MYR 8.82

-37.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.02 MYR 8.28

-43.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.70

$1.44 MYR 5.88

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.23

$0.51 MYR 2.08

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.38

$4.44 MYR 18.15

6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.3

$18.95 MYR 77.6

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.84

$2.68 MYR 10.99

53.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 21.01

$4.61 MYR 18.86

11.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.39

$0.71 MYR 2.90

-18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 51.1

$11.71 MYR 47.94

6.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-22.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.36 MYR 1.46

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.56

$9.25 MYR 37.85

-8.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.32

$0.49 MYR 2.00

65.31%

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

$41.2K MYR 168.5K

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

-2.35%

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

$36.5K MYR 149.4K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

10.79%

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

$35.66 MYR 146

$49.20 MYR 201

-27.52%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.83

$8.44 MYR 34.55

21.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$26.89 MYR 110

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$35.26 MYR 144

-15.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.99

$7.08 MYR 29.00

72.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.67

$4.84 MYR 19.82

4.34%

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

$136 MYR 555

$123 MYR 503

10.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.4K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

-31.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 262

$51.2 MYR 209

24.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 152

$30.30 MYR 124

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 366

$79.2 MYR 324

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 264

$86.5 MYR 354

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,472

$402 MYR 1,645

-10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 991

$335 MYR 1,372

-27.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,629

$671 MYR 2,746

-4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,944

$535 MYR 2,189

-11.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,611

$2,067 MYR 8,461

1.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,249

$1,025 MYR 4,194

49.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,194

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.51

-3.10%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Kuching versus $402 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 $24.00 in Kuching versus $15.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $245 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 4%, 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 $1,305 per month in Kuching and $1,363 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 $24.00 in Kuching and $15.00 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 $870 in Kuching and $909 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 $870, than in Kemaman at $909. 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.