Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur

🙂 Solo nomad: Kuching is 13.4% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur without rent, and 27% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kuching is 15.2% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur without rent, and 23.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$4.82 MYR 19.04

-42.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 77.8

$28.46 MYR 112

-30.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 18.87

$4.74 MYR 18.71

0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MYR 10.03

$2.99 MYR 11.83

-15.05%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.95

$0.92 MYR 3.64

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.53 MYR 2.11

-39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.26

$4.13 MYR 16.33

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 MYR 14.02

$5.73 MYR 22.65

-38.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$2.07 MYR 8.16

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.33

$1.01 MYR 3.99

8.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.15

$1.65 MYR 6.51

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.92

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 38.50

$14.58 MYR 57.6

-33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.34

$4.50 MYR 17.78

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 MYR 31.20

$9.46 MYR 37.38

-16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.34

$2.98 MYR 11.78

4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.63 MYR 6.45

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.85

$2.67 MYR 10.55

-6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.27

$1.48 MYR 5.83

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$1.28 MYR 5.07

-10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.92

$1.33 MYR 5.26

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 MYR 6.73

$1.21 MYR 4.78

40.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.63 MYR 2.47

-20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$4.28 MYR 16.92

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.99 MYR 82.9

$18.74 MYR 74.0

12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.81 MYR 15.05

$3.40 MYR 13.44

12.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$4.45 MYR 17.57

-22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.90

$0.70 MYR 2.76

-67.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 45.94

$11.87 MYR 46.90

-2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.77

$1.19 MYR 4.72

-20.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$1.10 MYR 4.35

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.36

$4.84 MYR 19.12

-61.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.51 MYR 2.01

-3.92%

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

$46.0K MYR 181.6K

$40.1K MYR 158.3K

14.73%

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

$36.8K MYR 145.5K

$32.7K MYR 129.4K

12.46%

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

$40.85 MYR 161

$63.6 MYR 251

-35.72%

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

$9.20 MYR 36.35

$11.31 MYR 44.66

-18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.66 MYR 101

$25.49 MYR 101

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 MYR 118

$45.57 MYR 180

-34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.91 MYR 39.15

$7.62 MYR 30.10

30.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MYR 18.79

$5.11 MYR 20.19

-6.85%

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

$145 MYR 573

$272 MYR 1,073

-46.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,013 MYR 23.8K

$9,452 MYR 37.3K

-36.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MYR 256

$61.4 MYR 243

5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 MYR 127

$36.67 MYR 145

-12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 MYR 340

$85.0 MYR 336

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 MYR 285

$79.2 MYR 313

-8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,084

$575 MYR 2,270

-52.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 MYR 792

$376 MYR 1,486

-46.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 MYR 2,254

$1,086 MYR 4,290

-47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,550

$631 MYR 2,492

-37.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,134 MYR 8,429

$3,936 MYR 15.5K

-45.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,555 MYR 6,143

$1,551 MYR 6,125

0.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 MYR 2,160

$1,633 MYR 6,451

-66.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.47

-4.47%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 12, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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