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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $778 per month in Kuching vs $759 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,219 per month in Kuching vs $1,251 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Kuching vs $1,742 in Kepong, rent included.

Kuching costs about 2% 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

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$3.51 MYR 14.35

-20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 80.5

$18.79 MYR 76.9

4.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.84

$4.67 MYR 19.11

3.85%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.80 MYR 11.46

-8.93%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.85 MYR 3.49

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.49

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.67

$3.62 MYR 14.79

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MYR 15.09

$5.18 MYR 21.18

-28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.79 MYR 7.34

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$0.96 MYR 3.92

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-22.90%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.23 MYR 9.13

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.48

$15.55 MYR 63.6

-39.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.24

$5.11 MYR 20.91

-27.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 MYR 33.72

$10.64 MYR 43.50

-22.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$2.75 MYR 11.23

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.56

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-35.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.60

$2.46 MYR 10.05

5.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.26 MYR 5.14

40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-23.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.01

$1.37 MYR 5.61

-10.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MYR 6.88

$0.90 MYR 3.68

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.25 MYR 17.39

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 MYR 86.1

$14.29 MYR 58.4

47.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 MYR 15.20

$2.79 MYR 11.41

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$3.00 MYR 12.27

15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.68 MYR 2.79

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 47.45

$11.79 MYR 48.24

-1.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$0.98 MYR 4.00

-1.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$0.99 MYR 4.03

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$9.17 MYR 37.51

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

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

$46.2K MYR 189.2K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

49.25%

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

$37.4K MYR 152.8K

$28.3K MYR 115.6K

32.17%

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

$42.30 MYR 173

$44.92 MYR 184

-5.83%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.53

$9.03 MYR 36.95

-1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MYR 104

$23.55 MYR 96.3

8.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.54 MYR 121

$31.74 MYR 130

-6.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.01 MYR 40.95

$6.02 MYR 24.63

66.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$4.82 MYR 19.73

-2.90%

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

$144 MYR 587

$213 MYR 870

-32.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.8K

$6,874 MYR 28.1K

-11.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$48.81 MYR 200

35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 MYR 132

$23.01 MYR 94.1

39.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MYR 354

$69.5 MYR 284

24.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$48.68 MYR 199

46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,163

$251 MYR 1,026

13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 MYR 847

$178 MYR 726

16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 MYR 2,289

$599 MYR 2,449

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,570

$421 MYR 1,720

-8.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 MYR 8,314

$2,038 MYR 8,336

-0.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 MYR 6,195

$1,142 MYR 4,673

32.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 MYR 2,171

$666 MYR 2,722

-20.25%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kepong: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Kuching versus $251 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 25% 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 – $242 in Kuching vs $253 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: $778 in Kuching, $759 in Kepong – roughly 2% apart. Kuching costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,167 per month in Kuching and $1,139 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 2% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Kuching and $213 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 $778 in Kuching and $759 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 $759 in Kepong to $778 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.