Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Labuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Labuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Kuching versus $976 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Kuching versus $1,496 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,926 in Kuching versus $2,016 in Labuan.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 11% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.86

$5.49 MYR 22.41

-38.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.5

$25.04 MYR 102

-2.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.18

$6.84 MYR 27.92

-27.63%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.10

$3.99 MYR 16.28

-19.55%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-29.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.42 MYR 1.69

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.44

$4.11 MYR 16.77

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 24.94

$3.77 MYR 15.37

62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.72

$1.77 MYR 7.23

34.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.09 MYR 4.45

16.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.76

$1.43 MYR 5.84

-18.18%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$1.91 MYR 7.78

30.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.56

$16.99 MYR 69.3

-32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$4.54 MYR 18.50

-5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.78

$9.91 MYR 40.43

-1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.89

$3.11 MYR 12.71

1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$1.84 MYR 7.49

-27.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.09

$2.38 MYR 9.71

3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.39 MYR 5.66

28.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.68

$1.14 MYR 4.66

43.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.53 MYR 2.15

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.31

$4.65 MYR 18.98

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.0

$21.54 MYR 87.9

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.78

$2.53 MYR 10.32

62.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.94

$3.39 MYR 13.81

51.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.38

$0.84 MYR 3.45

-30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.9

$13.20 MYR 53.9

-5.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.41 MYR 5.77

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.50 MYR 2.02

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.45

$7.83 MYR 31.96

7.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$0.78 MYR 3.18

3.85%

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

$41.2K MYR 167.9K

$43.6K MYR 178.0K

-5.65%

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

$36.5K MYR 148.9K

$31.3K MYR 127.5K

16.81%

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

$35.66 MYR 145

$50.1 MYR 204

-28.85%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.70

$9.61 MYR 39.18

6.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$28.20 MYR 115

-10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$43.96 MYR 179

-31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.83

$6.76 MYR 27.58

80.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.60

$4.46 MYR 18.21

13.23%

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

$136 MYR 553

$194 MYR 790

-29.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

$4,758 MYR 19.4K

51.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 261

$60.6 MYR 247

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 151

$34.51 MYR 141

7.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 365

$80.3 MYR 328

11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 263

$72.1 MYR 294

-10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,467

$452 MYR 1,845

-20.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 987

$311 MYR 1,270

-22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,620

$701 MYR 2,858

-8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,938

$521 MYR 2,124

-8.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,582

$1,900 MYR 7,751

10.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,228

$1,043 MYR 4,255

46.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,186

$375 MYR 1,531

42.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.2

4.05%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for Labuan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $452 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kuching vs $25.00 in Labuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $268, with Labuan 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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Kuching, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Kuching versus $452 in Labuan. 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 $24.00 versus $25.00 in Labuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Kuching versus $976 in Labuan – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $870 in Kuching versus $976 in Labuan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Labuan. 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 Labuan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Labuan 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 12% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.