Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Serdang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Serdang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Kuching versus $935 in Serdang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Kuching versus $1,468 in Serdang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Kuching versus $2,001 in Serdang.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 16% less than in Serdang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 41% lower, Serdang 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$4.77 MYR 19.49

-39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 82.3

$28.01 MYR 115

-28.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.59

$4.58 MYR 18.71

4.59%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$3.11 MYR 12.70

-18.01%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.90 MYR 3.69

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.53 MYR 2.18

-43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$4.21 MYR 17.23

-34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$5.79 MYR 23.68

-37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.98 MYR 8.10

-4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.05 MYR 4.28

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.68 MYR 6.85

-36.90%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.18

$2.19 MYR 8.94

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.61

$14.82 MYR 60.6

-36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$4.76 MYR 19.48

-21.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 MYR 32.27

$9.63 MYR 39.39

-18.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$2.93 MYR 12.00

3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.62 MYR 6.63

-29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.63 MYR 10.77

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.51 MYR 6.16

17.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.39 MYR 5.67

-13.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.18 MYR 4.81

49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$0.62 MYR 2.54

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.26 MYR 17.42

Wine (Bottle)

$20.76 MYR 84.9

$18.10 MYR 74.0

14.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.51

$3.25 MYR 13.30

16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.99

$4.20 MYR 17.19

-18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.69 MYR 2.82

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.28

$11.73 MYR 47.99

0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.11 MYR 4.52

3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$4.68 MYR 19.16

-59.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.47 MYR 1.91

-2.13%

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

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

$40.2K MYR 164.3K

14.00%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

$32.0K MYR 130.9K

13.07%

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

$40.93 MYR 167

$65.2 MYR 266

-37.18%

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

$9.27 MYR 37.91

$11.31 MYR 46.26

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.28 MYR 103

$25.32 MYR 104

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 MYR 119

$37.04 MYR 151

-21.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 MYR 40.74

$5.79 MYR 23.70

72.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$5.08 MYR 20.78

-8.07%

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

$145 MYR 592

$265 MYR 1,086

-45.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

$9,412 MYR 38.5K

-34.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$61.8 MYR 253

5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.59 MYR 129

$37.74 MYR 154

-16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$84.6 MYR 346

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 295

$79.2 MYR 324

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,141

$394 MYR 1,611

-29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 830

$270 MYR 1,105

-24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,325

$644 MYR 2,634

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,575

$473 MYR 1,934

-18.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 MYR 8,543

$1,889 MYR 7,724

10.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,207

$1,253 MYR 5,124

21.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MYR 2,214

$965 MYR 3,944

-43.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.47

-4.47%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Last update for Serdang: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $394 in Serdang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Serdang pays 78% 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 $28.00 in Serdang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $265 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 Serdang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Serdang. 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: $279 in Kuching versus $394 in Serdang. 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 $28.00 in Serdang. 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 $935 in Serdang – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $782 in Kuching versus $935 in Serdang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Serdang. 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 Serdang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Serdang 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 19% less than in Serdang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.