Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Subang Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Subang Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $948 in Subang Jaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $1,368 in Subang Jaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $1,787 in Subang Jaya.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 18% less than in Subang Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Subang Jaya 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.35

$3.60 MYR 14.36

-21.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.7

$18.64 MYR 74.4

8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.46

$4.63 MYR 18.49

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.74

$2.96 MYR 11.83

-17.57%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.80 MYR 3.20

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$0.45 MYR 1.81

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 11.02

$4.64 MYR 18.50

-40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.22

$6.61 MYR 26.39

-46.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.60

$1.79 MYR 7.13

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.48

$0.94 MYR 3.75

19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.11

$1.44 MYR 5.73

-28.47%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.66

$2.09 MYR 8.35

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.87

$14.83 MYR 59.2

-34.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.55

$4.66 MYR 18.61

-16.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 32.07

$10.04 MYR 40.08

-19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.43

$2.99 MYR 11.95

4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.42

$1.30 MYR 5.19

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.29

$2.63 MYR 10.50

-1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.08

$1.53 MYR 6.09

16.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.55

$1.23 MYR 4.90

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.69

$1.39 MYR 5.53

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.92

$1.17 MYR 4.67

48.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.53 MYR 2.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.52

$4.23 MYR 16.86

-2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 85.3

$19.44 MYR 77.6

10.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.44

$2.79 MYR 11.12

38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.98

$2.96 MYR 11.82

18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.43

$17.52 MYR 69.9

-33.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.62

$1.20 MYR 4.79

-24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.56

$0.51 MYR 2.02

123.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.32

$4.69 MYR 18.71

-60.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$0.47 MYR 1.87

4.26%

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

$45.0K MYR 179.5K

$35.3K MYR 140.9K

27.45%

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

$36.0K MYR 143.8K

$33.4K MYR 133.4K

7.81%

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

$41.77 MYR 167

$45.16 MYR 180

-7.51%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.73

$11.51 MYR 45.93

-22.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 100

$30.09 MYR 120

-16.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$23.41 MYR 93.4

25.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.32

$2.41 MYR 9.60

298.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.88

$4.81 MYR 19.21

-1.66%

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

$143 MYR 572

$187 MYR 745

-23.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.2K

$7,041 MYR 28.1K

-13.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 263

$59.8 MYR 239

10.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$18.66 MYR 74.5

71.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 343

$83.0 MYR 331

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 291

$39.69 MYR 158

83.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,100

$505 MYR 2,014

-45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 803

$326 MYR 1,300

-38.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,257

$624 MYR 2,488

-9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,545

$476 MYR 1,901

-18.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,614

$1,938 MYR 7,731

11.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,258

$961 MYR 3,836

63.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,214

$936 MYR 3,735

-40.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.47

-4.47%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $505 in Subang Jaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Subang Jaya pays 69% 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 $19.00 in Subang Jaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $256, with Kuching 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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Subang Jaya earns 69% 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 $505 in Subang Jaya. 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 Subang Jaya. 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 $948 in Subang Jaya – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $948 in Subang Jaya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Subang Jaya. 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 Subang Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Subang Jaya 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 23% less than in Subang Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.