Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Skudai

For one person, living is cheaper in Skudai: $900 a month against $972 in Kuching, rent and utilities included – about $860 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Kuching
Learn more

Kuching Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Skudai
Learn more

Skudai Living Index

Jump to prices

Kuching

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$972

/mo nomad

Skudai

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$900

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuching and in Skudai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuching and in Skudai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $972 in Kuching versus $900 in Skudai.

Kuching $972
Skudai $900

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,521 in Kuching versus $1,370 in Skudai.

Kuching $1,521
Skudai $1,370

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,070 in Kuching versus $1,840 in Skudai.

Kuching $2,070
Skudai $1,840

Living in Kuching is roughly 8% more expensive than in Skudai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 29% lower, Skudai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 MYR 13.80

$3.63 MYR 14.84

-7.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.51 MYR 100

$18.25 MYR 74.6

34.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 20.05

Cappuccino

$3.19 MYR 13.05

$2.87 MYR 11.73

11.15%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.20

$0.83 MYR 3.40

-6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 MYR 18.85

$3.33 MYR 13.62

38.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 MYR 24.39

$5.62 MYR 22.97

6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 MYR 9.78

$1.74 MYR 7.11

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.02 MYR 4.18

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.48 MYR 6.06

-19.59%

Eggs

$2.38 MYR 9.71

$1.66 MYR 6.78

43.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.93

$9.64 MYR 39.43

14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.73

$3.20 MYR 13.09

35.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.00 MYR 40.87

$9.61 MYR 39.28

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MYR 12.97

$3.42 MYR 13.98

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.70 MYR 6.94

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.32

$2.61 MYR 10.68

-3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.28

$1.64 MYR 6.69

8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.65

$1.41 MYR 5.75

-2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.73 MYR 7.08

-31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MYR 6.59

$1.37 MYR 5.59

17.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.51 MYR 2.09

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MYR 19.44

$4.28 MYR 17.49

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.25 MYR 91.0

$13.83 MYR 56.5

60.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.87

$2.74 MYR 11.19

50.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.67

$2.99 MYR 12.22

69.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.83 MYR 3.40

-56.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.48 MYR 30.58

$10.95 MYR 44.78

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.01 MYR 4.13

-3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MYR 5.03

$0.36 MYR 1.46

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 MYR 36.04

$9.03 MYR 36.92

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$0.86 MYR 3.51

9.30%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.8K

$44.3K MYR 181.0K

3.77%

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

$36.1K MYR 147.4K

$36.0K MYR 147.2K

0.15%

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

$35.63 MYR 146

$48.79 MYR 199

-26.97%

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

$10.19 MYR 41.66

$8.16 MYR 33.38

24.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.50 MYR 104

$26.88 MYR 110

-5.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.85 MYR 138

$36.95 MYR 151

-8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 MYR 50.1

$7.55 MYR 30.86

62.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.91

$4.93 MYR 20.17

-1.22%

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

$135 MYR 553

$235 MYR 962

-42.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,150 MYR 29.2K

$4,393 MYR 18.0K

62.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 MYR 262

$50.5 MYR 206

26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 MYR 153

$16.62 MYR 68.0

125.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 368

$77.2 MYR 316

16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 MYR 264

$85.4 MYR 349

-24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,918

$357 MYR 1,461

31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,366

$311 MYR 1,270

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 MYR 3,411

$650 MYR 2,659

28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,676

$565 MYR 2,310

15.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,053 MYR 8,393

$1,956 MYR 7,997

4.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 MYR 6,270

$1,161 MYR 4,746

32.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 MYR 2,189

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.06

7.64%

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

Last update for Kuching: October 27, 2026

Last update for Skudai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kuching

$334 34.4%

Skudai

$311 34.5% 7% $23

Groceries & Markets

Kuching

$272 28%

Skudai

$226 25.2% 16.8% $46

Eating Out

Kuching

$120 12.3%

Skudai

$111 12.4% 7.1% $8.5

Clothing & Footwear

Kuching

$115 11.9%

Skudai

$103 11.5% 10.3% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuching

$71 7.3%

Skudai

$84 9.3% 17.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Kuching

$44 4.5%

Skudai

$47 5.2% 7.4% $3.2

Getting Around

Kuching

$16 1.7%

Skudai

$17 1.9% 6.4% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Kuching and $357 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Kuching vs $18 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $226 per month, with Skudai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuching

🇲🇾 Skudai

🕒 Local time

00:02 12:02 AM

Same time as Kuching

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

349,147

159,733

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kuching Skudai 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kuching
Skudai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skudai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,458 in Kuching and $1,349 in Skudai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $469 in Kuching versus $357 in Skudai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Skudai – a meal for two runs $18 versus $25 in Kuching. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $972 per month in Kuching versus $900 in Skudai – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Skudai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Skudai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.