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: $782 in Kuching versus $969 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Kuching versus $1,514 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Kuching versus $2,059 in Muar.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 19% less than in Muar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 41% lower, Muar 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$2.58 MYR 10.54

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 82.3

$23.44 MYR 95.9

-14.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.59

$3.21 MYR 13.14

49.22%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.34 MYR 9.57

8.97%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.73 MYR 2.97

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.36 MYR 1.47

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$4.32 MYR 17.68

-36.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$5.49 MYR 22.44

-33.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.88 MYR 7.68

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.12 MYR 4.58

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-26.39%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.18

$1.82 MYR 7.44

23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.61

$22.17 MYR 90.7

-57.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$4.92 MYR 20.12

-23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 MYR 32.27

$10.68 MYR 43.68

-26.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$3.97 MYR 16.22

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.71 MYR 6.97

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$3.34 MYR 13.67

-21.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$2.54 MYR 10.38

-30.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$1.69 MYR 6.92

-33.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$0.99 MYR 4.06

21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.08 MYR 4.40

62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$0.51 MYR 2.07

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.15 MYR 16.95

2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.76 MYR 84.9

$18.01 MYR 73.7

15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.51

$4.41 MYR 18.05

-14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.99

$5.59 MYR 22.86

-38.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.73 MYR 2.99

-68.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.28

$11.71 MYR 47.87

0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.11 MYR 4.52

3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$4.42 MYR 18.07

-56.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.46 MYR 1.88

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

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

$43.9K MYR 179.6K

4.29%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

17.53%

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

$40.93 MYR 167

$74.5 MYR 305

-45.04%

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

$9.27 MYR 37.91

$9.60 MYR 39.24

-3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.28 MYR 103

$28.81 MYR 118

-12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 MYR 119

$37.32 MYR 153

-22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 MYR 40.74

$5.96 MYR 24.36

67.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$5.52 MYR 22.56

-15.40%

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

$145 MYR 592

$117 MYR 480

23.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

$4,326 MYR 17.7K

42.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$108 MYR 442

-39.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.59 MYR 129

$27.86 MYR 114

13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$75.8 MYR 310

14.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 295

$78.9 MYR 323

-8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,141

$389 MYR 1,592

-28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 830

$265 MYR 1,085

-23.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,325

$634 MYR 2,593

-10.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,575

$465 MYR 1,900

-17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 MYR 8,543

$1,832 MYR 7,492

14.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,207

$1,165 MYR 4,764

30.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MYR 2,214

$605 MYR 2,473

-10.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.96

7.83%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Last update for Muar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $389 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 12% 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $23.00 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $309 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $279 in Kuching versus $389 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 $20.00 versus $23.00 in Muar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $782 per month in Kuching versus $969 in Muar – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $782 in Kuching versus $969 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 24% less than in Muar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.