Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kulim Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Kulim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Kuching versus $981 in Kulim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $1,514 in Kulim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $2,048 in Kulim.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 18% less than in Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.20

$2.54 MYR 10.31

8.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.5

$23.96 MYR 97.2

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.53

$3.82 MYR 15.52

25.92%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.27

$2.26 MYR 9.17

11.95%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.74 MYR 3.00

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.20

$0.36 MYR 1.47

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.28

$4.33 MYR 17.58

-35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.64

$5.27 MYR 21.37

-31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.77

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.43 MYR 5.81

-25.87%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$1.85 MYR 7.50

16.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.03

$22.18 MYR 90.0

-57.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.37

$4.97 MYR 20.17

-23.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.51

$10.66 MYR 43.25

-24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$3.84 MYR 15.59

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.70 MYR 6.89

-32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.49

$3.41 MYR 13.86

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-36.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.05 MYR 4.25

18.10%

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

$0.55 MYR 2.24

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.02

$4.15 MYR 16.84

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.7

$17.62 MYR 71.5

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.70

$4.20 MYR 17.04

-7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.83

$5.38 MYR 21.84

-36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-56.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.36

$11.77 MYR 47.75

1.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.77

$1.21 MYR 4.90

-23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.03 MYR 4.16

7.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$4.39 MYR 17.80

-58.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

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

$44.6K MYR 180.9K

$44.1K MYR 179.0K

1.06%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.5K

$31.6K MYR 128.2K

18.14%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$73.0 MYR 296

-43.49%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.19

$9.90 MYR 40.18

-9.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$28.12 MYR 114

-9.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$36.80 MYR 149

-19.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.65

$5.71 MYR 23.19

71.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.78

$5.61 MYR 22.76

-17.47%

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

$141 MYR 573

$117 MYR 476

20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$112 MYR 453

-41.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$27.79 MYR 113

15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 349

$74.1 MYR 301

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$79.0 MYR 321

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,157

$383 MYR 1,556

-25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 831

$266 MYR 1,079

-23.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,256

$638 MYR 2,587

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,567

$474 MYR 1,924

-18.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,699

$2,197 MYR 8,917

-2.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,229

$972 MYR 3,946

57.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,240

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 Kulim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $383 in Kulim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $24.00 in Kulim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $308 per month, with Kuching cheaper across the board.

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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,203 in Kuching and $1,471 in Kulim to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Kuching versus $383 in Kulim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $24.00 in Kulim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Kuching versus $981 in Kulim – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $981 in Kulim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Kulim. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kulim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Kulim are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Kulim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.