Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Pasig Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Pasig

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Kuching versus $860 in Pasig.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Kuching versus $1,403 in Pasig.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Kuching versus $1,947 in Pasig.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 10% less than in Pasig, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Pasig 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$4.52 ₱277

-38.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.4

$26.63 ₱1,635

-23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.77

$3.30 ₱203

39.09%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.53

$2.75 ₱169

-6.18%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.69 ₱42.67

2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.38 ₱23.19

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$1.47 ₱90.1

95.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.29

$2.70 ₱166

38.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.91 ₱117

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$1.34 ₱82.3

-19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$1.09 ₱67.0

-3.67%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.95

$2.21 ₱136

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.17

$9.09 ₱558

5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.71

$4.37 ₱268

-12.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.60

$8.62 ₱529

-4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.19

$3.43 ₱211

-13.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.83 ₱112

-37.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$3.55 ₱218

-26.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$1.72 ₱106

2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.76 ₱170

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$3.08 ₱189

-59.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.98

$2.06 ₱126

-16.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.71 ₱43.58

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$3.22 ₱197

30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.6

$9.52 ₱584

114.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.86

$1.45 ₱89.1

167.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.93

$2.11 ₱130

61.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.28 ₱17.37

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.21

$6.23 ₱383

89.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$0.90 ₱55.4

6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$0.24 ₱14.74

370.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.78

$2.09 ₱128

-9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.16 ₱71.0

-56.90%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

75.63%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

82.00%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$134 ₱8,225

-68.78%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.70

$34.45 ₱2,115

-73.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$27.33 ₱1,678

-6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$33.58 ₱2,062

-11.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.08

$4.34 ₱266

126.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.94

$6.49 ₱398

-28.51%

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

$143 MYR 586

$151 ₱9,301

-5.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$4,815 ₱295.6K

28.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$48.78 ₱2,995

35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$35.44 ₱2,176

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 358

$75.4 ₱4,628

16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$47.09 ₱2,892

52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,160

$349 ₱21.4K

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 820

$201 ₱12.3K

-0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,326

$579 ₱35.5K

-1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,583

$503 ₱30.9K

-23.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,535

$3,307 ₱203.1K

-36.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,172

$2,594 ₱159.3K

-41.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,167

$446 ₱27.4K

18.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.5

-5.11%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pasig: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $349 in Pasig. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 19% 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 $27.00 in Pasig. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $233, with Pasig 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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $349 in Pasig. 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 $27.00 in Pasig. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $777 per month in Kuching versus $860 in Pasig – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

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

Safety-wise, Kuching and Pasig 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 11% less than in Pasig. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.