Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Sarawak Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Sarawak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $889 in Kuching versus $986 in Sarawak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,450 in Sarawak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $1,914 in Sarawak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 10% less than in Sarawak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Sarawak 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$3.73 MYR 15.19

-5.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$19.47 MYR 79.2

28.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$4.91 MYR 19.96

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$3.00 MYR 12.22

11.67%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.82 MYR 3.36

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.39 MYR 1.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$3.63 MYR 14.77

27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$4.54 MYR 18.46

33.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$1.82 MYR 7.40

28.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.06 MYR 4.32

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.51 MYR 6.15

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$1.85 MYR 7.54

38.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$13.17 MYR 53.6

-12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$4.39 MYR 17.84

1.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$9.79 MYR 39.85

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$3.26 MYR 13.26

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.76 MYR 7.18

-24.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.41 MYR 9.81

1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.66 MYR 6.74

12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$1.32 MYR 5.37

18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.17 MYR 4.74

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$1.21 MYR 4.92

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.56 MYR 2.29

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$4.40 MYR 17.89

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$19.47 MYR 79.2

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$3.02 MYR 12.29

34.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$3.68 MYR 14.97

37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$0.72 MYR 2.92

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$12.50 MYR 50.9

0.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.48 MYR 1.95

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$7.32 MYR 29.77

20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.73 MYR 2.96

16.44%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

0.63%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

2.81%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$49.33 MYR 201

-28.30%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$9.93 MYR 40.41

3.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$28.50 MYR 116

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$40.37 MYR 164

-23.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$6.50 MYR 26.45

88.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$4.95 MYR 20.13

-0.81%

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

$135 MYR 551

$177 MYR 718

-23.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

46.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$61.3 MYR 249

3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$35.90 MYR 146

5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$81.2 MYR 330

11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$69.2 MYR 282

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$422 MYR 1,716

-12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$328 MYR 1,334

-26.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$709 MYR 2,883

-8.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$493 MYR 2,007

-8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$2,086 MYR 8,485

1.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$1,123 MYR 4,567

38.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

$343 MYR 1,397

59.52%

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 Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $422 in Sarawak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kuching vs $19.00 in Sarawak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $257 per month, with Sarawak 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 60% 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: $371 in Kuching versus $422 in Sarawak. 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 $19.00 in Sarawak. 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 $986 in Sarawak – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $986 in Sarawak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Sarawak. 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 Sarawak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Sarawak 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 Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.