Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kepong Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kepong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Kuching vs $769 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Kuching vs $1,235 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,660 per month in Kuching vs $1,701 in Kepong, rent included.

Kuching costs about 1% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuching and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Kuching 42% lower, Kepong 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.28

$3.44 MYR 13.65

-17.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.2

$19.11 MYR 75.8

5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$4.79 MYR 18.99

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.68

$2.83 MYR 11.22

-13.78%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.79 MYR 3.13

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.40 MYR 1.58

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$3.56 MYR 14.11

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.13

$5.12 MYR 20.31

-30.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.83 MYR 7.24

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$1.00 MYR 3.97

12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.26 MYR 4.98

-18.25%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.60

$2.27 MYR 9.02

-4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.62

$15.20 MYR 60.3

-35.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.45

$5.18 MYR 20.55

-24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 31.86

$10.54 MYR 41.80

-23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.35

$2.73 MYR 10.83

13.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.39

$1.68 MYR 6.67

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$2.44 MYR 9.69

5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.04

$1.19 MYR 4.73

49.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$1.37 MYR 5.44

-16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.66

$1.38 MYR 5.48

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$0.95 MYR 3.76

83.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.62 MYR 2.46

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.36 MYR 17.29

-5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 84.8

$14.79 MYR 58.6

44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.34

$2.64 MYR 10.47

46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$2.86 MYR 11.35

22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.73 MYR 2.88

-65.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.14

$11.77 MYR 46.67

-1.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$0.98 MYR 3.87

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.53

$0.98 MYR 3.89

16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.27

$9.39 MYR 37.23

-80.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.47 MYR 1.85

4.26%

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

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

$31.1K MYR 123.4K

44.57%

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

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

$28.4K MYR 112.5K

26.94%

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

$41.77 MYR 166

$45.45 MYR 180

-8.10%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$8.90 MYR 35.27

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 99.4

$23.85 MYR 94.6

5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$31.97 MYR 127

-8.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.08

$5.83 MYR 23.13

64.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.77

$5.08 MYR 20.14

-6.89%

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

$143 MYR 569

$212 MYR 842

-32.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

$6,999 MYR 27.7K

-13.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 261

$49.11 MYR 195

34.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$23.80 MYR 94.4

34.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 340

$70.7 MYR 280

21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 289

$47.90 MYR 190

52.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,093

$246 MYR 975

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 798

$174 MYR 691

15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,243

$611 MYR 2,424

-7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$423 MYR 1,678

-8.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,560

$1,913 MYR 7,585

12.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,219

$959 MYR 3,803

63.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,201

$660 MYR 2,617

-15.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.07

4.91%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kepong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Kuching versus $246 in Kepong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kuching versus $19.00 in Kepong. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Kuching vs $252 in Kepong – 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $774 in Kuching, $769 in Kepong – roughly 1% apart. Kuching costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,161 per month in Kuching and $1,153 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $143 per month in Kuching and $212 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $774 in Kuching and $769 in Kepong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kuching has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $769 in Kepong to $774 in Kuching. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kepong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuching makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.