Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Lumut, Perak Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Lumut, Perak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Kuching versus $928 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $1,381 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $1,835 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 14% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Lumut, Perak 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$3.62 MYR 14.67

-23.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$11.71 MYR 47.48

73.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$4.62 MYR 18.74

4.11%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$2.76 MYR 11.21

-8.33%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.34 MYR 1.37

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$3.61 MYR 14.62

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$5.78 MYR 23.46

-37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$2.00 MYR 8.13

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.06 MYR 4.29

2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.72 MYR 6.98

-38.37%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.28 MYR 9.23

-5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$14.37 MYR 58.3

-34.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$4.57 MYR 18.54

-17.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$9.46 MYR 38.36

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.90 MYR 11.78

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.56 MYR 6.33

-26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.69 MYR 10.92

-3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$1.52 MYR 6.17

18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.27 MYR 5.17

-12.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.33 MYR 5.40

-6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$1.17 MYR 4.75

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.62 MYR 2.51

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.14 MYR 16.78

1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$19.05 MYR 77.3

12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$3.35 MYR 13.59

15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$4.20 MYR 17.04

-18.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.74 MYR 2.98

-68.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.99 MYR 48.62

-0.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-19.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.14 MYR 4.64

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$4.84 MYR 19.61

-61.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.51 MYR 2.06

-1.96%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$40.4K MYR 163.7K

10.40%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$32.5K MYR 131.8K

14.87%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$64.4 MYR 261

-35.97%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$11.27 MYR 45.71

-20.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$26.07 MYR 106

-2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$36.58 MYR 148

-19.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.77 MYR 23.40

69.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$5.30 MYR 21.50

-12.64%

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

$141 MYR 572

$268 MYR 1,087

-47.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$9,459 MYR 38.4K

-35.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$60.2 MYR 244

9.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$36.78 MYR 149

-13.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$86.6 MYR 351

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$81.3 MYR 330

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$390 MYR 1,580

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$274 MYR 1,112

-25.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$646 MYR 2,619

-13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$470 MYR 1,906

-17.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$1,878 MYR 7,613

14.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$875 MYR 3,547

75.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$383 MYR 1,553

44.19%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $390 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 44% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $265, 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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Kuching pays 44% 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: $285 in Kuching versus $390 in Lumut, Perak. 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. 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 $928 in Lumut, Perak – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $928 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. 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 Lumut, Perak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.