Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $973 in Kulim versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Kulim versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,836 in Kulim versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Kulim is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kulim 29% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 MYR 13.72

$3.53 MYR 14.35

-4.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 MYR 61.5

$25.07 MYR 102

-39.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.50

$4.93 MYR 20.05

2.23%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.28

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-17.31%

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

$0.99 MYR 4.01

$0.80 MYR 3.24

23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.39 MYR 1.57

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 MYR 10.16

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.65

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 MYR 10.16

$2.33 MYR 9.47

7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.35

$1.20 MYR 4.88

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.89

$1.22 MYR 4.95

38.52%

Eggs

$2.63 MYR 10.70

$2.56 MYR 10.40

2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 MYR 65.0

$11.49 MYR 46.74

39.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 MYR 20.09

$4.44 MYR 18.04

11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 MYR 41.17

$9.68 MYR 39.38

4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 MYR 9.51

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-30.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$1.33 MYR 5.43

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.32

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-32.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-39.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.31

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-29.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.87

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-55.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.80

$0.55 MYR 2.25

25.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.93

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.75 MYR 88.5

$21.20 MYR 86.2

2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 MYR 9.80

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-40.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MYR 15.45

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-25.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 3.07

$0.63 MYR 2.58

19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 MYR 51.0

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-0.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.96 MYR 3.90

27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 MYR 26.96

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-25.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MYR 3.36

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-2.35%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.2K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

0.22%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.6K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-23.34%

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

$50.6 MYR 206

$35.37 MYR 144

43.09%

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

$8.30 MYR 33.77

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-19.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.18 MYR 131

$24.25 MYR 98.7

32.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 MYR 167

$30.72 MYR 125

34.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.48 MYR 26.37

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-47.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.71

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-1.22%

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

$173 MYR 704

$135 MYR 551

27.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,925 MYR 20.0K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-31.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 MYR 218

$63.4 MYR 258

-15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 MYR 143

$37.96 MYR 154

-7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 302

$90.7 MYR 369

-18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.7 MYR 287

$66.9 MYR 272

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 MYR 1,747

$371 MYR 1,510

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 MYR 1,323

$240 MYR 977

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 MYR 2,880

$648 MYR 2,635

9.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,991

$454 MYR 1,845

7.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 MYR 8,257

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-3.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,665

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-26.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.37

1.37%

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

Last update for Kulim: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Kulim and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Kulim vs $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $273 per month, with Kulim 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

Kulim vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,459 in Kulim and $1,334 in Kuching 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: $430 in Kulim versus $371 in Kuching. 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 $15.00 in Kulim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $973 per month in Kulim versus $889 in Kuching – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $973 in Kulim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Kulim. 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 Kulim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kulim and Kuching 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 9% less than in Kulim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.