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: $778 in Kuching versus $999 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Kuching versus $1,432 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Kuching versus $1,865 in Selangor.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 22% 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

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$2.55 MYR 10.42

9.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 80.5

$23.88 MYR 97.7

-17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.84

$3.73 MYR 15.26

30.03%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.30 MYR 9.40

10.87%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.77 MYR 3.17

-6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$0.36 MYR 1.48

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 MYR 11.67

$4.22 MYR 17.27

-32.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MYR 15.09

$5.38 MYR 22.00

-31.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.81 MYR 7.39

3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.01 MYR 4.15

12.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-32.67%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$1.88 MYR 7.70

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.48

$14.38 MYR 58.8

-34.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.24

$4.68 MYR 19.14

-20.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 MYR 33.72

$9.88 MYR 40.41

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$3.00 MYR 12.27

1.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.56

$1.56 MYR 6.40

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.60

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-5.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.45 MYR 5.94

22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.28 MYR 5.22

-13.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.01

$1.01 MYR 4.11

21.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MYR 6.88

$1.13 MYR 4.63

48.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.51 MYR 2.10

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.33 MYR 17.71

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 MYR 86.1

$19.24 MYR 78.7

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 MYR 15.20

$3.35 MYR 13.68

11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.68 MYR 2.80

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 47.45

$11.85 MYR 48.46

-2.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-16.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.10 MYR 4.51

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$4.35 MYR 17.77

-55.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-8.00%

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

$46.2K MYR 189.2K

$40.5K MYR 165.5K

14.32%

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

$37.4K MYR 152.8K

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

21.37%

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

$42.30 MYR 173

$64.9 MYR 265

-34.80%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.53

$9.99 MYR 40.88

-10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MYR 104

$25.88 MYR 106

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.54 MYR 121

$38.38 MYR 157

-23.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.01 MYR 40.95

$7.27 MYR 29.74

37.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$5.17 MYR 21.13

-9.48%

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

$144 MYR 587

$116 MYR 476

23.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.8K

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

39.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$60.9 MYR 249

8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 MYR 132

$36.78 MYR 150

-12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MYR 354

$74.9 MYR 306

15.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$78.8 MYR 322

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,163

$449 MYR 1,838

-36.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 MYR 847

$351 MYR 1,437

-41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 MYR 2,289

$834 MYR 3,413

-32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,570

$472 MYR 1,930

-18.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 MYR 8,314

$1,583 MYR 6,473

28.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 MYR 6,195

$707 MYR 2,891

114.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 MYR 2,171

$1,047 MYR 4,284

-49.32%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $449 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 97% 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 $24.00 in Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 97% lower in Selangor. 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: $284 in Kuching versus $449 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 $24.00 in Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $778 per month in Kuching versus $999 in Selangor – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $778 in Kuching versus $999 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 28% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.