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: $804 in Kuching versus $935 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $1,414 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $1,894 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 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-20.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$11.90 MYR 47.02

68.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$4.79 MYR 18.91

-2.30%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-11.55%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.84 MYR 3.34

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.36 MYR 1.43

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$3.67 MYR 14.49

-21.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$5.79 MYR 22.88

-37.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.98 MYR 7.81

-4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.05 MYR 4.13

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.67 MYR 6.59

-38.92%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.16 MYR 8.54

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$14.34 MYR 56.7

-33.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$4.56 MYR 17.99

-18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$9.73 MYR 38.44

-17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$2.89 MYR 11.43

6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.63 MYR 6.43

-29.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$2.72 MYR 10.76

-3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$1.50 MYR 5.93

20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.23 MYR 4.84

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.38 MYR 5.46

-10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.17 MYR 4.64

48.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.66 MYR 2.62

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.18 MYR 16.52

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$18.72 MYR 73.9

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$3.22 MYR 12.71

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$4.42 MYR 17.45

-21.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.74 MYR 2.92

-66.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$11.95 MYR 47.21

-0.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.16 MYR 4.60

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.14 MYR 4.50

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$4.78 MYR 18.86

-59.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.51 MYR 2.03

-7.84%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

16.54%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

13.16%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$63.3 MYR 250

-35.40%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$11.35 MYR 44.82

-19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$25.66 MYR 101

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$36.52 MYR 144

-19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$5.97 MYR 23.57

65.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$5.24 MYR 20.71

-9.92%

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

$145 MYR 575

$269 MYR 1,061

-45.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

-35.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$61.5 MYR 243

6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$37.26 MYR 147

-14.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$86.2 MYR 340

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$81.2 MYR 321

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$394 MYR 1,556

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$268 MYR 1,060

-24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$635 MYR 2,510

-10.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$462 MYR 1,827

-18.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$1,902 MYR 7,515

9.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$931 MYR 3,679

67.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$394 MYR 1,556

40.52%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 41% 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 $245 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 41% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $394 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 $804 per month in Kuching versus $935 in Lumut, Perak – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $935 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.