Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Skudai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Skudai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Kuching versus $828 in Skudai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Kuching versus $1,256 in Skudai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Kuching versus $1,683 in Skudai.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 5% less than in Skudai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 41% lower, Skudai 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$3.49 MYR 14.29

-17.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 82.3

$18.56 MYR 75.9

8.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.59

$4.78 MYR 19.57

0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.99 MYR 12.21

-14.72%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.71 MYR 2.91

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.39 MYR 1.61

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$3.45 MYR 14.09

-20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$5.02 MYR 20.53

-27.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$1.87 MYR 7.63

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$0.95 MYR 3.87

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-19.08%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.18

$1.89 MYR 7.72

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.61

$10.60 MYR 43.34

-10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$3.44 MYR 14.08

8.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 MYR 32.27

$8.20 MYR 33.52

-3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$2.77 MYR 11.35

9.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.52 MYR 6.23

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.48 MYR 10.14

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.27 MYR 5.17

39.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$1.17 MYR 4.80

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.38 MYR 5.65

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$0.94 MYR 3.84

87.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.76 MYR 84.9

$14.16 MYR 57.9

46.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.51

$2.73 MYR 11.18

38.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.99

$2.91 MYR 11.91

17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-68.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.28

$11.85 MYR 48.46

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.02 MYR 4.19

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$0.99 MYR 4.04

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$9.40 MYR 38.44

-79.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

$31.3K MYR 127.9K

46.44%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

$27.6K MYR 112.8K

31.17%

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

$40.93 MYR 167

$41.03 MYR 168

-0.24%

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

$9.27 MYR 37.91

$8.90 MYR 36.42

4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.28 MYR 103

$23.17 MYR 94.8

9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 MYR 119

$36.67 MYR 150

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 MYR 40.74

$5.74 MYR 23.46

73.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$4.83 MYR 19.74

-3.31%

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

$145 MYR 592

$187 MYR 765

-22.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

$6,839 MYR 28.0K

-10.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$48.19 MYR 197

35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.59 MYR 129

$18.56 MYR 75.9

70.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$58.2 MYR 238

49.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 295

$47.25 MYR 193

52.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,141

$388 MYR 1,585

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 830

$268 MYR 1,096

-24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,325

$641 MYR 2,621

-11.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,575

$469 MYR 1,920

-17.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 MYR 8,543

$1,945 MYR 7,955

7.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,207

$1,258 MYR 5,143

20.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MYR 2,214

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.07

4.91%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Last update for Skudai: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $388 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $19.00 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $218 per month, with Skudai 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 Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,174 in Kuching and $1,242 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: $279 in Kuching versus $388 in Skudai. 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 $19.00 in Skudai. 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 $828 in Skudai – a 6% 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 Skudai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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.

Expats usually find Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Skudai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.