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: $889 in Kuching versus $1,056 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,536 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $2,016 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 16% less than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Lumut, Perak 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$3.83 MYR 15.57

-7.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$12.29 MYR 50.0

103.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$5.01 MYR 20.37

-1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$3.02 MYR 12.28

10.93%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.85 MYR 3.46

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.39 MYR 1.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$3.86 MYR 15.70

19.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$6.27 MYR 25.50

-3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$2.18 MYR 8.87

6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.07 MYR 4.36

12.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$2.03 MYR 8.25

-39.90%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$2.46 MYR 9.99

4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$15.53 MYR 63.2

-26.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$4.76 MYR 19.35

-6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$9.69 MYR 39.42

-0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$3.41 MYR 13.87

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.92 MYR 7.79

-30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.46 MYR 10.00

-0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.60 MYR 6.49

16.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$1.33 MYR 5.39

18.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.46 MYR 5.93

-21.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$1.21 MYR 4.93

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-27.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$4.40 MYR 17.90

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$19.08 MYR 77.6

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$3.41 MYR 13.88

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$4.96 MYR 20.20

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$0.75 MYR 3.06

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$12.22 MYR 49.70

2.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.50 MYR 2.03

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$4.87 MYR 19.79

81.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.78 MYR 3.18

8.97%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

0.12%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

2.79%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$64.9 MYR 264

-45.52%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$9.36 MYR 38.07

9.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$26.19 MYR 107

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$41.40 MYR 168

-25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$6.56 MYR 26.69

86.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$5.34 MYR 21.74

-8.05%

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

$135 MYR 551

$298 MYR 1,214

-54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$4,956 MYR 20.2K

45.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$72.9 MYR 296

-13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$42.54 MYR 173

-10.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$88.1 MYR 358

2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$99.7 MYR 406

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$432 MYR 1,756

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$337 MYR 1,371

-28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$712 MYR 2,898

-9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$497 MYR 2,023

-8.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$2,091 MYR 8,507

1.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$1,125 MYR 4,578

37.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

$377 MYR 1,535

45.17%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $432 in Lumut, Perak. 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: $25.00 in Kuching vs $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $282, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $371 in Kuching versus $432 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 $25.00 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 $889 per month in Kuching versus $1,056 in Lumut, Perak – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,056 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 19% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.