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: $889 in Kuching versus $928 in Skudai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $1,343 in Skudai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $1,757 in Skudai.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 4% less than in Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 36% lower, Skudai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.31

$3.75 MYR 15.21

-5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$22.01 MYR 89.3

13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 19.99

$4.88 MYR 19.79

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.60

$2.87 MYR 11.64

16.72%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.23

$0.84 MYR 3.42

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.42 MYR 1.70

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.79

$3.43 MYR 13.90

34.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.60

$5.84 MYR 23.70

3.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.45

$1.75 MYR 7.12

33.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.03 MYR 4.18

16.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$1.50 MYR 6.07

-18.67%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.37

$1.70 MYR 6.89

50.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.62

$9.64 MYR 39.10

19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.00

$3.22 MYR 13.07

37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.28

$9.92 MYR 40.23

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.65

$3.35 MYR 13.58

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.74 MYR 7.08

-23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.93

$2.79 MYR 11.33

-12.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.64 MYR 6.66

13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.35

$1.42 MYR 5.78

10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.75 MYR 7.11

-34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.44

$1.32 MYR 5.37

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.54 MYR 2.21

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.48

$4.41 MYR 17.91

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.0

$14.26 MYR 57.9

48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.52

$2.69 MYR 10.90

51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.58

$3.03 MYR 12.28

67.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.76 MYR 3.10

-17.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.1

$12.44 MYR 50.5

1.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$0.39 MYR 1.57

223.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 35.90

$9.39 MYR 38.11

-5.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$0.73 MYR 2.95

16.44%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.3K

$42.7K MYR 173.1K

-0.48%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.0K

$33.1K MYR 134.2K

11.05%

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

$35.37 MYR 143

$49.43 MYR 201

-28.44%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.76

$8.43 MYR 34.20

22.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.4

$26.70 MYR 108

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$41.50 MYR 168

-25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.71

$6.56 MYR 26.60

86.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.91

$5.08 MYR 20.59

-3.35%

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

$135 MYR 549

$162 MYR 657

-16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.2K

$4,558 MYR 18.5K

58.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 257

$52.9 MYR 214

19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$16.99 MYR 68.9

123.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 368

$79.7 MYR 323

13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 271

$41.41 MYR 168

61.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,506

$427 MYR 1,732

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 975

$334 MYR 1,354

-28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,627

$692 MYR 2,808

-6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,840

$497 MYR 2,014

-8.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,569

$2,062 MYR 8,366

2.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,296

$1,140 MYR 4,626

36.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,223

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Skudai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $427 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kuching vs $22.00 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $230 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 Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,334 in Kuching and $1,391 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: $371 in Kuching versus $427 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 $25.00 versus $22.00 in Skudai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $889 per month in Kuching versus $928 in Skudai – a 4% 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 4% less than in Skudai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.