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: $889 in Kuching versus $973 in Kulim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,404 in Kulim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $1,836 in Kulim.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 9% less than in Kulim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Kulim 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$3.37 MYR 13.72

4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$15.11 MYR 61.5

65.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$5.04 MYR 20.50

-2.18%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$2.77 MYR 11.28

20.94%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.99 MYR 4.01

-19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.35 MYR 1.43

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$2.50 MYR 10.16

85.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$4.34 MYR 17.65

39.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$2.50 MYR 10.16

-6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.32 MYR 5.35

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.69 MYR 6.89

-27.81%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$2.63 MYR 10.70

-2.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$15.98 MYR 65.0

-28.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$4.94 MYR 20.09

-10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$10.12 MYR 41.17

-4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$2.34 MYR 9.51

43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.47 MYR 5.98

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.29 MYR 9.32

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.25 MYR 5.10

48.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$0.95 MYR 3.87

65.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$0.81 MYR 3.31

41.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$0.71 MYR 2.87

123.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.69 MYR 2.80

-20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$4.65 MYR 18.93

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$21.75 MYR 88.5

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$2.41 MYR 9.80

68.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$3.80 MYR 15.45

33.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$0.75 MYR 3.07

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$12.53 MYR 51.0

0.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.49 MYR 1.99

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$6.63 MYR 26.96

33.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.83 MYR 3.36

2.41%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$42.6K MYR 173.2K

-0.22%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$28.2K MYR 114.6K

30.44%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$50.6 MYR 206

-30.11%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$8.30 MYR 33.77

23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$32.18 MYR 131

-24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$41.17 MYR 167

-25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$6.48 MYR 26.37

89.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$4.85 MYR 19.71

1.24%

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

$135 MYR 551

$173 MYR 704

-21.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$4,925 MYR 20.0K

46.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$53.6 MYR 218

18.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$35.11 MYR 143

8.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$74.2 MYR 302

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$70.7 MYR 287

-5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$430 MYR 1,747

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$325 MYR 1,323

-26.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$708 MYR 2,880

-8.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$489 MYR 1,991

-7.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$2,030 MYR 8,257

4.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$1,147 MYR 4,665

35.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.43

-1.35%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kulim: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $430 in Kulim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kuching vs $15.00 in Kulim. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $273, with Kuching cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,334 in Kuching and $1,459 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: $371 in Kuching versus $430 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 $25.00 versus $15.00 in Kulim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $889 per month in Kuching versus $973 in Kulim – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $973 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 9% less than in Kulim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.