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: $774 in Kuching versus $897 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,368 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,838 in Labuan.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 14% less than in Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Labuan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.28

$5.15 MYR 20.43

-44.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.2

$23.23 MYR 92.1

-12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$6.52 MYR 25.85

-28.99%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.68

$3.83 MYR 15.18

-36.29%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$1.06 MYR 4.22

-34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.43 MYR 1.70

-25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$3.61 MYR 14.30

-23.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.13

$4.99 MYR 19.77

-28.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.66 MYR 6.59

15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$1.01 MYR 3.99

10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.25 MYR 4.95

-17.60%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.60

$2.06 MYR 8.16

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.62

$14.75 MYR 58.5

-33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.45

$4.23 MYR 16.79

-7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 31.86

$9.67 MYR 38.33

-16.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.35

$2.85 MYR 11.30

9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.39

$1.52 MYR 6.04

-26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$2.62 MYR 10.38

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.04

$1.37 MYR 5.45

29.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$1.24 MYR 4.93

-8.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.66

$1.32 MYR 5.25

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.03 MYR 4.10

68.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.56 MYR 2.23

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.34 MYR 17.22

-4.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 84.8

$18.93 MYR 75.1

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.34

$2.81 MYR 11.15

37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$2.92 MYR 11.57

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-63.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.14

$11.90 MYR 47.20

-2.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$1.15 MYR 4.54

-20.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.53

$1.04 MYR 4.10

9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.27

$5.95 MYR 23.60

-69.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-2.00%

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

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

29.21%

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

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

13.08%

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

$41.77 MYR 166

$43.79 MYR 174

-4.61%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$9.31 MYR 36.93

-3.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 99.4

$28.94 MYR 115

-13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$37.15 MYR 147

-20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.08

$5.80 MYR 22.99

65.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.77

$4.97 MYR 19.69

-4.83%

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

$143 MYR 569

$190 MYR 753

-24.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

-11.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 261

$61.9 MYR 245

6.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$27.83 MYR 110

14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 340

$73.2 MYR 290

17.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 289

$50.8 MYR 201

43.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,093

$386 MYR 1,529

-28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 798

$265 MYR 1,053

-24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,243

$656 MYR 2,600

-13.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$468 MYR 1,854

-17.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,560

$1,705 MYR 6,761

26.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,219

$891 MYR 3,532

76.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,201

$382 MYR 1,514

45.39%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Labuan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $386 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $23.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $250 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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kuching pays 45% more on average, 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: $276 in Kuching versus $386 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 $20.00 versus $23.00 in Labuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Kuching versus $897 in Labuan – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 16% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.