Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $1,008 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,449 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,890 in Selangor.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 23% less than in Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.35

$2.56 MYR 10.22

10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.7

$23.14 MYR 92.3

-12.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.46

$3.74 MYR 14.94

23.80%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.74

$2.23 MYR 8.89

9.42%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.77 MYR 3.08

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.33 MYR 1.33

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 11.02

$4.19 MYR 16.73

-34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.22

$5.33 MYR 21.28

-33.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.60

$1.83 MYR 7.31

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.48

$1.01 MYR 4.02

10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.11

$1.45 MYR 5.78

-28.97%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.66

$1.83 MYR 7.28

18.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.87

$14.43 MYR 57.6

-32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.55

$4.66 MYR 18.57

-16.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 32.07

$9.83 MYR 39.22

-18.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.43

$2.87 MYR 11.45

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.42

$1.64 MYR 6.56

-32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.29

$2.69 MYR 10.72

-4.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.08

$1.51 MYR 6.02

17.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.55

$1.27 MYR 5.06

-10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.69

$0.99 MYR 3.96

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.92

$1.08 MYR 4.31

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.54 MYR 2.17

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.52

$4.32 MYR 17.22

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 85.3

$19.54 MYR 78.0

9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.44

$3.37 MYR 13.44

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.98

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-17.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

$0.74 MYR 2.96

-66.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.43

$11.61 MYR 46.33

0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.62

$1.21 MYR 4.82

-24.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.56

$1.10 MYR 4.40

3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.32

$4.38 MYR 17.49

-58.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$0.46 MYR 1.85

6.52%

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

$45.0K MYR 179.5K

$39.3K MYR 156.8K

14.50%

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

$36.0K MYR 143.8K

$31.9K MYR 127.3K

12.94%

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

$41.77 MYR 167

$65.4 MYR 261

-36.15%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.73

$9.48 MYR 37.82

-5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 100

$25.69 MYR 102

-2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$38.55 MYR 154

-23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.32

$7.29 MYR 29.09

31.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.88

$5.20 MYR 20.75

-9.04%

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

$143 MYR 572

$117 MYR 465

22.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.2K

$4,384 MYR 17.5K

38.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 263

$59.8 MYR 239

10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$36.96 MYR 147

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 343

$75.1 MYR 299

14.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 291

$78.9 MYR 315

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,100

$441 MYR 1,760

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 803

$348 MYR 1,388

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,257

$849 MYR 3,386

-33.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,545

$472 MYR 1,882

-17.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,614

$1,659 MYR 6,618

30.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,258

$726 MYR 2,897

116.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,214

$1,004 MYR 4,006

-44.72%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $441 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 81% 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 Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $261 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Selangor earns 81% less. 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: $276 in Kuching versus $441 in Selangor. 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 Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Kuching versus $1,008 in Selangor – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $1,008 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Selangor. 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 Selangor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Selangor 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 30% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.