Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Muar Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Muar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $889 in Kuching versus $1,070 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,567 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $2,064 in Muar.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 17% less than in Muar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Muar 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.31

$5.05 MYR 20.47

-30.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$29.56 MYR 120

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 19.99

$4.04 MYR 16.37

22.03%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.60

$3.23 MYR 13.10

3.72%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.23

$0.87 MYR 3.53

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.46 MYR 1.88

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.79

$4.42 MYR 17.93

4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.60

$6.06 MYR 24.58

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.45

$2.10 MYR 8.53

10.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.12 MYR 4.54

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$2.01 MYR 8.16

-39.30%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.37

$2.59 MYR 10.52

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.62

$15.69 MYR 63.7

-26.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.00

$4.79 MYR 19.44

-7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.28

$9.67 MYR 39.24

0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.65

$3.43 MYR 13.90

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.84 MYR 7.48

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.93

$2.37 MYR 9.60

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.61 MYR 6.53

15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.35

$1.32 MYR 5.35

18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.39 MYR 5.64

-17.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.44

$1.21 MYR 4.89

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.48

$4.33 MYR 17.56

10.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.0

$19.37 MYR 78.6

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.52

$3.43 MYR 13.91

18.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.58

$4.87 MYR 19.76

4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.1

$12.44 MYR 50.5

1.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$0.50 MYR 2.03

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 35.90

$4.94 MYR 20.04

79.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$0.77 MYR 3.12

10.39%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.3K

$42.6K MYR 173.0K

-0.42%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.0K

$35.7K MYR 145.0K

2.79%

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

$35.37 MYR 143

$64.7 MYR 262

-45.33%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.76

$9.18 MYR 37.24

12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.4

$25.92 MYR 105

-6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$41.05 MYR 167

-25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.71

$6.51 MYR 26.39

88.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.91

$5.44 MYR 22.06

-9.74%

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

$135 MYR 549

$304 MYR 1,234

-55.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.2K

$4,996 MYR 20.3K

44.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 257

$72.0 MYR 292

-11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$43.22 MYR 175

-12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 368

$89.0 MYR 361

1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 271

$97.8 MYR 397

-31.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,506

$428 MYR 1,736

-13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 975

$334 MYR 1,354

-28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,627

$695 MYR 2,821

-6.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,840

$492 MYR 1,994

-7.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,569

$2,032 MYR 8,245

3.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,296

$1,148 MYR 4,656

35.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,223

$609 MYR 2,471

-10.07%

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 Muar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $428 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kuching vs $30.00 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $283 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Muar. 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: $371 in Kuching versus $428 in Muar. 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 $30.00 in Muar. 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 $1,070 in Muar – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,070 in Muar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Muar. 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 Muar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Muar 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 20% less than in Muar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.