Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $927 in Setia Alam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,385 in Setia Alam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,842 in Setia Alam.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 17% less than in Setia Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.35

$4.59 MYR 18.31

-38.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.7

$23.15 MYR 92.4

-12.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.46

$4.84 MYR 19.32

-4.34%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.74

$3.13 MYR 12.50

-22.04%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.89 MYR 3.56

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.37 MYR 1.47

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 11.02

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.22

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.60

$1.80 MYR 7.16

6.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.48

$0.68 MYR 2.72

64.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.11

$0.98 MYR 3.91

5.10%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.66

$1.73 MYR 6.91

25.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.87

$4.62 MYR 18.44

110.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.55

$3.92 MYR 15.63

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 32.07

$9.45 MYR 37.69

-14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.43

$1.32 MYR 5.29

135.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.42

$1.59 MYR 6.34

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.29

$1.29 MYR 5.14

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.08

$1.43 MYR 5.71

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.55

$1.23 MYR 4.93

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.69

$1.27 MYR 5.07

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.92

$0.61 MYR 2.42

185.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.56 MYR 2.24

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.52

$4.06 MYR 16.20

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 85.3

$19.94 MYR 79.6

7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.44

$3.23 MYR 12.90

19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.98

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

$0.73 MYR 2.89

-65.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.43

$11.93 MYR 47.61

-2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.62

$1.16 MYR 4.64

-21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.56

$1.14 MYR 4.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.32

$4.62 MYR 18.42

-60.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$0.48 MYR 1.90

2.08%

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

$45.0K MYR 179.5K

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

14.46%

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

$36.0K MYR 143.8K

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

11.83%

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

$41.77 MYR 167

$58.1 MYR 232

-28.04%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.73

$10.59 MYR 42.26

-15.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 100

$25.89 MYR 103

-3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$55.8 MYR 223

-47.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.32

$2.35 MYR 9.37

308.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.88

$5.11 MYR 20.39

-7.44%

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

$143 MYR 572

$193 MYR 769

-25.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.2K

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

-36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 263

$61.3 MYR 245

7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$24.70 MYR 98.6

29.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 343

$84.5 MYR 337

1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 291

$52.0 MYR 208

40.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,100

$496 MYR 1,979

-44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 803

$309 MYR 1,233

-34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,257

$815 MYR 3,252

-30.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,545

$524 MYR 2,091

-26.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,614

$1,965 MYR 7,840

9.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,258

$991 MYR 3,955

58.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,214

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-52.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.12

3.64%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $496 in Setia Alam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 113% 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 Setia Alam. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $206, with Setia Alam cheaper for home cooking.

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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Setia Alam earns 113% 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 $496 in Setia Alam. 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 Setia Alam. 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 $927 in Setia Alam – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $927 in Setia Alam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Setia Alam. 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 Setia Alam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Setia Alam 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 20% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.