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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Kuching vs $965 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Kuching vs $1,413 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,678 per month in Kuching vs $1,861 in Kemaman, rent included.

Kuching is about 19% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuching and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 42% lower, Kemaman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$2.61 MYR 10.64

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.3

$14.15 MYR 57.8

44.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.75

$3.67 MYR 15.00

25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.33 MYR 9.51

10.73%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.46 MYR 1.86

54.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.34 MYR 1.39

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$4.32 MYR 17.64

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.27

$5.46 MYR 22.29

-31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.82 MYR 7.44

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$0.97 MYR 3.98

11.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$0.91 MYR 3.73

15.38%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$1.15 MYR 4.71

90.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.13

$13.96 MYR 57.0

-31.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.69

$3.75 MYR 15.33

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.57

$9.68 MYR 39.53

-15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$4.01 MYR 16.37

-25.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.70

$3.35 MYR 13.67

-21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$2.61 MYR 10.66

-32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.75 MYR 7.13

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$0.99 MYR 4.06

25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.98

$1.08 MYR 4.41

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.46 MYR 1.87

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$4.14 MYR 16.90

1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.5

$19.53 MYR 79.8

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.85

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$5.48 MYR 22.38

-37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.69 MYR 2.83

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.17

$11.61 MYR 47.40

1.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.09 MYR 4.45

3.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.77

$4.35 MYR 17.75

-56.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.88

8.70%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.4K

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

6.93%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.1K

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

17.95%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$73.8 MYR 301

-43.34%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.67

$9.71 MYR 39.65

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$28.92 MYR 118

-11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$36.88 MYR 151

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.05

$5.82 MYR 23.78

68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.93

$5.51 MYR 22.48

-15.79%

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

$143 MYR 585

$120 MYR 490

19.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

43.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$108 MYR 440

-38.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$27.82 MYR 114

12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 357

$74.5 MYR 304

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$78.9 MYR 322

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,159

$380 MYR 1,553

-25.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 819

$264 MYR 1,080

-24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,324

$651 MYR 2,658

-12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$470 MYR 1,918

-17.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,527

$2,013 MYR 8,220

3.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,167

$1,152 MYR 4,705

31.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $380 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 – $243 in Kuching vs $272 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 24%, 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 $1,166 per month in Kuching and $1,448 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 $777 in Kuching and $965 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $777 in Kuching and $965 in Kemaman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.