Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Sibu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Sibu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Kuching versus $884 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Kuching versus $1,308 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,926 in Kuching versus $1,733 in Sibu.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 2% less than in Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Sibu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.87

$2.18 MYR 8.91

55.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.39 MYR 99.6

$19.54 MYR 79.8

24.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.20

$4.20 MYR 17.16

17.86%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MYR 13.11

$2.36 MYR 9.65

36.02%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.08

$0.67 MYR 2.73

11.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.24 MYR 0.98

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.45

$3.02 MYR 12.32

57.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 24.96

$4.30 MYR 17.55

42.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$1.77 MYR 7.23

34.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$0.84 MYR 3.41

51.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-10.69%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.19

$1.97 MYR 8.06

26.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 MYR 46.59

$15.04 MYR 61.4

-24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.56

$4.22 MYR 17.22

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.81

$10.14 MYR 41.40

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MYR 12.90

$3.24 MYR 13.24

-2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$1.84 MYR 7.53

-27.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.10

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-9.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.50 MYR 6.13

19.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$1.26 MYR 5.12

6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.68

$1.08 MYR 4.41

51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.50 MYR 2.05

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MYR 19.33

$4.52 MYR 18.45

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.31 MYR 91.1

$20.54 MYR 83.9

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 MYR 16.79

$3.00 MYR 12.23

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.95

$3.66 MYR 14.93

40.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.38

$0.66 MYR 2.69

-12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 51.0

$14.00 MYR 57.2

-10.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.31 MYR 5.33

-28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.44 MYR 1.80

172.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MYR 34.48

$8.43 MYR 34.41

0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$0.66 MYR 2.71

22.73%

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

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

14.38%

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

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

3.66%

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

$35.66 MYR 146

$49.25 MYR 201

-27.59%

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

$10.22 MYR 41.73

$7.19 MYR 29.34

42.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.15 MYR 103

$26.77 MYR 109

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 MYR 122

$27.76 MYR 113

7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 MYR 49.87

$6.44 MYR 26.30

89.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.61

$3.65 MYR 14.89

38.36%

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

$136 MYR 553

$180 MYR 735

-24.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

45.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 261

$61.3 MYR 250

4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 MYR 152

$36.18 MYR 148

2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MYR 365

$93.0 MYR 380

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 MYR 263

$69.4 MYR 283

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,468

$416 MYR 1,696

-13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MYR 988

$359 MYR 1,466

-32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,622

$784 MYR 3,201

-18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,939

$449 MYR 1,832

5.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,589

$1,916 MYR 7,822

9.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,527 MYR 6,233

$1,147 MYR 4,682

33.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 MYR 2,188

$499 MYR 2,037

7.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.2

4.05%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $416 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kuching vs $20.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $261 per month, with Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $360 in Kuching versus $416 in Sibu. 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 $24.00 versus $20.00 in Sibu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Kuching versus $884 in Sibu – a 2% 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 Sibu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Sibu 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 2% less than in Sibu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.