Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Miri Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Miri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $682 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,091 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,499 in Miri.

Living in Kuching is roughly 13% more expensive than Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Miri 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.28

$3.22 MYR 12.78

-11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.2

$11.73 MYR 46.49

72.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$4.02 MYR 15.94

15.17%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.68

$2.68 MYR 10.61

-8.96%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.70 MYR 2.76

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.36 MYR 1.45

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$2.89 MYR 11.45

-4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.13

$3.70 MYR 14.66

-3.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.35 MYR 5.37

41.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$1.45 MYR 5.73

-22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$0.80 MYR 3.18

28.75%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.60

$3.27 MYR 12.97

-33.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.62

$11.01 MYR 43.64

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.45

$4.80 MYR 19.05

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 31.86

$12.04 MYR 47.72

-33.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.35

$3.16 MYR 12.53

-1.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.39

$1.19 MYR 4.73

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$2.26 MYR 8.97

14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.04

$1.38 MYR 5.49

28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$0.59 MYR 2.35

93.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.66

$0.90 MYR 3.57

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$0.91 MYR 3.61

91.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.33 MYR 1.33

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$4.23 MYR 16.77

-2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 84.8

$20.47 MYR 81.2

4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.34

$3.03 MYR 12.02

27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$2.27 MYR 8.98

54.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$1.36 MYR 5.41

-81.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.14

$8.72 MYR 34.59

33.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$1.20 MYR 4.77

-24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.53

$0.75 MYR 2.97

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.27

$5.76 MYR 22.85

-68.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.46 MYR 1.83

6.52%

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

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

$57.9K MYR 229.7K

-22.34%

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

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

$28.2K MYR 111.8K

27.79%

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

$41.77 MYR 166

$30.45 MYR 121

37.18%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$9.34 MYR 37.04

-4.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 99.4

$32.20 MYR 128

-22.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$28.52 MYR 113

3.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.08

$5.75 MYR 22.79

66.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.77

$4.17 MYR 16.53

13.43%

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

$143 MYR 569

$97.6 MYR 387

46.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

15.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 261

$35.09 MYR 139

87.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$19.06 MYR 75.6

67.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 340

$44.89 MYR 178

91.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 289

$31.98 MYR 127

128.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,093

$311 MYR 1,231

-11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 798

$165 MYR 656

21.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,243

$494 MYR 1,961

14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$379 MYR 1,501

2.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,560

$1,286 MYR 5,100

67.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,219

$697 MYR 2,765

124.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,201

$767 MYR 3,041

-27.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.63

17.63%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Miri: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $311 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 38% 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 Miri. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $248, 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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Miri earns 38% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $276 in Kuching versus $311 in Miri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $20.00 in Kuching. 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 $682 in Miri – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Miri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kuching, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Kuching. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.