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: $782 in Kuching versus $910 in Sarawak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Kuching versus $1,313 in Sarawak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Kuching versus $1,716 in Sarawak.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 14% less than in Sarawak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 41% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$3.57 MYR 14.59

-19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 82.3

$18.74 MYR 76.6

7.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.59

$5.21 MYR 21.32

-8.06%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.79 MYR 11.43

-8.60%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.79 MYR 3.21

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$7.67 MYR 31.38

-64.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$8.42 MYR 34.42

-56.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.82 MYR 7.43

4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.00 MYR 4.08

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.25 MYR 5.13

-15.20%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.18

$2.14 MYR 8.73

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.61

$14.84 MYR 60.7

-36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$2.57 MYR 10.49

45.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 MYR 32.27

$9.49 MYR 38.80

-16.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$2.88 MYR 11.80

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.53 MYR 6.26

-25.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.50 MYR 10.23

4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.37 MYR 5.61

29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.32 MYR 5.39

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$0.99 MYR 4.07

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$0.66 MYR 2.71

-21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.18 MYR 17.09

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.76 MYR 84.9

$16.95 MYR 69.3

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.51

$2.81 MYR 11.51

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.99

$3.04 MYR 12.42

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-68.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.28

$11.74 MYR 48.00

0.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.03 MYR 4.20

11.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$5.88 MYR 24.04

-67.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-8.00%

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

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

30.51%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

13.33%

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

$40.93 MYR 167

$43.10 MYR 176

-5.03%

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

$9.27 MYR 37.91

$8.86 MYR 36.24

4.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.28 MYR 103

$29.05 MYR 119

-12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 MYR 119

$37.07 MYR 152

-21.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 MYR 40.74

$6.04 MYR 24.69

64.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$4.98 MYR 20.38

-6.22%

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

$145 MYR 592

$189 MYR 771

-23.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

-10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$36.25 MYR 148

79.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.59 MYR 129

$38.85 MYR 159

-18.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$78.1 MYR 319

11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 295

$56.1 MYR 229

28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,141

$329 MYR 1,347

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 830

$273 MYR 1,116

-25.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,325

$498 MYR 2,038

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,575

$356 MYR 1,455

8.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 MYR 8,543

$2,076 MYR 8,489

0.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,207

$1,136 MYR 4,646

33.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MYR 2,214

$417 MYR 1,706

29.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.07

4.91%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $329 in Sarawak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 30% 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 $19.00 in Sarawak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $240 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 Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $279 in Kuching versus $329 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 $20.00 versus $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $782 per month in Kuching versus $910 in Sarawak – a 16% 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 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 16% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.