Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Labuan versus $899 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,520 in Labuan versus $1,388 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Labuan versus $1,877 in Kuching.

Living in Labuan is roughly 14% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 26% lower, Kuching 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 MYR 23.15

$3.44 MYR 13.90

66.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.06 MYR 101

$24.31 MYR 98.3

3.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 MYR 27.06

$5.05 MYR 20.41

32.48%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MYR 16.37

$3.23 MYR 13.04

25.39%

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

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$0.76 MYR 3.09

48.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.38 MYR 1.55

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.67

$4.83 MYR 19.54

-14.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MYR 19.28

$6.32 MYR 25.55

-24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$2.22 MYR 8.98

-17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.29

$1.19 MYR 4.79

-10.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$1.21 MYR 4.90

20.66%

Eggs

$1.94 MYR 7.84

$2.56 MYR 10.36

-24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 MYR 70.7

$11.23 MYR 45.39

55.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.27

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.06

$10.03 MYR 40.54

-3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MYR 13.52

$3.33 MYR 13.45

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.43

$1.32 MYR 5.35

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.19

$2.50 MYR 10.10

0.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.96

$1.87 MYR 7.55

-8.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.76

$1.52 MYR 6.15

-6.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.39

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.64 MYR 6.63

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.56 MYR 2.25

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 MYR 20.59

$4.78 MYR 19.34

6.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 MYR 72.4

$21.25 MYR 85.9

-15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.86

$4.23 MYR 17.10

-36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MYR 16.79

$5.15 MYR 20.82

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.64 MYR 2.60

1.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 MYR 46.08

$12.58 MYR 50.9

-9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.04 MYR 4.19

16.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$1.22 MYR 4.93

-59.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 MYR 31.27

$8.85 MYR 35.79

-12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-8.14%

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

$43.3K MYR 175.1K

$43.0K MYR 173.8K

0.76%

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

$33.1K MYR 133.9K

$37.3K MYR 150.7K

-11.11%

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

$49.44 MYR 200

$36.51 MYR 148

35.41%

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

$10.25 MYR 41.43

$10.11 MYR 40.89

1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 MYR 117

$24.41 MYR 98.7

18.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 MYR 178

$30.47 MYR 123

44.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 23.27

$12.55 MYR 50.8

-54.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MYR 18.50

$5.02 MYR 20.31

-8.76%

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

$165 MYR 665

$136 MYR 552

20.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 MYR 19.8K

$7,032 MYR 28.4K

-30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 223

$63.0 MYR 255

-12.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 MYR 126

$38.04 MYR 154

-18.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 MYR 298

$90.3 MYR 365

-18.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 MYR 270

$65.1 MYR 263

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,895

$369 MYR 1,494

26.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,329

$239 MYR 968

37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,611

$644 MYR 2,605

0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,869

$460 MYR 1,858

0.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,199 MYR 8,892

$2,094 MYR 8,466

5.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,681

$1,534 MYR 6,202

-24.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$367 MYR 1,485

$548 MYR 2,214

-32.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Labuan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuching: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Labuan and $369 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Labuan vs $24.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $274, with Labuan 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

Labuan vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Kuching. 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: $469 in Labuan versus $369 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 $24.00 versus $25.00 in Labuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,020 per month in Labuan versus $899 in Kuching – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Kuching versus $1,020 in Labuan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Labuan. 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 Labuan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labuan 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 14% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.