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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Kuching vs $957 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Kuching vs $1,416 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Kuching vs $1,876 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

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$2.52 MYR 10.20

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$14.10 MYR 57.2

44.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$3.70 MYR 14.99

30.00%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$2.29 MYR 9.30

10.48%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.49 MYR 1.99

55.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.34 MYR 1.38

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$4.29 MYR 17.40

-35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$5.46 MYR 22.16

-33.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.87 MYR 7.59

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.00 MYR 4.06

9.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$0.98 MYR 3.97

8.16%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$1.16 MYR 4.72

85.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$14.17 MYR 57.4

-33.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$3.72 MYR 15.07

1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$9.71 MYR 39.36

-17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$3.97 MYR 16.11

-24.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.75 MYR 7.10

-34.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$3.29 MYR 13.36

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$2.52 MYR 10.23

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-34.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.00 MYR 4.07

24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$1.07 MYR 4.34

57.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.49 MYR 1.99

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.33 MYR 17.58

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$20.19 MYR 81.9

5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$4.38 MYR 17.77

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$5.44 MYR 22.06

-37.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-68.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.70 MYR 47.45

1.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-19.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.10 MYR 4.45

0.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$4.23 MYR 17.15

-56.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.49 MYR 2.01

2.04%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

1.38%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

17.26%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$74.5 MYR 302

-44.65%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$9.68 MYR 39.23

-7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$27.84 MYR 113

-8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$37.27 MYR 151

-20.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.86 MYR 23.78

66.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$5.73 MYR 23.23

-19.20%

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

$141 MYR 572

$117 MYR 476

20.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

42.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$108 MYR 440

-39.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$27.79 MYR 113

15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$75.3 MYR 305

14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$78.4 MYR 318

-8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$389 MYR 1,578

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$265 MYR 1,073

-22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$655 MYR 2,656

-15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$467 MYR 1,894

-17.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$1,765 MYR 7,157

21.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$896 MYR 3,631

71.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Kuching versus $389 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 $274 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 $1,203 per month in Kuching and $1,435 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 $802 in Kuching and $957 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 $802 in Kuching and $957 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.