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: $804 in Kuching versus $875 in Pasig.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $1,398 in Pasig.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $1,922 in Pasig.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 8% less than in Pasig, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Pasig 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$4.45 ₱272

-37.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$26.14 ₱1,599

-23.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$3.44 ₱210

36.05%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.62 ₱160

-6.49%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$0.69 ₱42.09

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.40 ₱24.58

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$1.55 ₱94.5

86.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$2.67 ₱164

35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.84 ₱112

3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.40 ₱85.7

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.08 ₱66.3

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.29 ₱140

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$9.23 ₱565

3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$4.26 ₱261

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$8.76 ₱536

-8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$3.43 ₱210

-10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.80 ₱110

-36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$3.56 ₱218

-26.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$1.72 ₱105

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$2.67 ₱163

-58.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$3.15 ₱193

-60.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.95 ₱119

-10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.78 ₱47.48

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$3.33 ₱204

26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$9.68 ₱592

122.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$1.46 ₱89.2

163.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$2.11 ₱129

64.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.26 ₱15.88

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$6.12 ₱374

93.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.90 ₱55.2

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$0.24 ₱14.69

362.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$2.09 ₱128

-8.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.11 ₱68.1

-57.66%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$26.8K ₱1.6M

72.24%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

79.12%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$135 ₱8,286

-69.83%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$34.75 ₱2,126

-73.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$27.37 ₱1,675

-8.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$34.29 ₱2,098

-14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$4.49 ₱275

119.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$6.52 ₱399

-27.61%

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

$145 MYR 575

$153 ₱9,380

-5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$4,694 ₱287.2K

30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$47.89 ₱2,930

37.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$34.94 ₱2,138

-8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$75.6 ₱4,624

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$46.02 ₱2,815

55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$356 ₱21.8K

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$202 ₱12.3K

0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$579 ₱35.4K

-2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$495 ₱30.3K

-23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$3,390 ₱207.4K

-38.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$2,617 ₱160.1K

-40.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$465 ₱28.5K

19.03%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pasig: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $356 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 $26.00 in Pasig. Groceries flip the comparison at $245 vs $234, 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kuching pays 19% more on average, 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 $356 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 $26.00 in Pasig. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $804 per month in Kuching versus $875 in Pasig – a 9% 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 9% less than in Pasig. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.