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: $897 in Labuan versus $774 in Kuching.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Labuan versus $1,660 in Kuching.

Living in Labuan is roughly 16% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 33% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 MYR 20.43

$2.84 MYR 11.28

81.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 MYR 92.1

$20.23 MYR 80.2

14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MYR 25.85

$4.63 MYR 18.35

40.82%

Cappuccino

$3.83 MYR 15.18

$2.44 MYR 9.68

56.97%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.22

$0.69 MYR 2.75

53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.32 MYR 1.28

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.30

$2.76 MYR 10.95

30.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 19.77

$3.56 MYR 14.13

40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.59

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-13.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.12 MYR 4.45

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.03 MYR 4.08

21.36%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$2.17 MYR 8.60

-5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$9.74 MYR 38.62

51.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$3.90 MYR 15.45

8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 38.33

$8.04 MYR 31.86

20.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.30

$3.11 MYR 12.35

-8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.11 MYR 4.39

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$2.58 MYR 10.22

1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.45

$1.78 MYR 7.04

-23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.93

$1.14 MYR 4.52

8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.25

$1.17 MYR 4.66

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-40.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.53 MYR 2.11

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.22

$4.14 MYR 16.42

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$21.39 MYR 84.8

-11.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.15

$3.87 MYR 15.34

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.57

$3.50 MYR 13.89

-16.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.25 MYR 0.99

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.20

$11.64 MYR 46.14

2.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$0.91 MYR 3.60

26.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.14 MYR 4.53

-8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.60

$1.83 MYR 7.27

225.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

-22.61%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

-11.57%

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

$43.79 MYR 174

$41.77 MYR 166

4.84%

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

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$8.95 MYR 35.50

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.94 MYR 115

$25.07 MYR 99.4

15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$29.40 MYR 117

26.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.99

$9.60 MYR 38.08

-39.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.69

$4.73 MYR 18.77

5.07%

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

$190 MYR 753

$143 MYR 569

32.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

13.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$65.9 MYR 261

-6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 MYR 110

$31.95 MYR 127

-12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 290

$85.9 MYR 340

-14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 201

$73.0 MYR 289

-30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,529

$276 MYR 1,093

39.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,053

$201 MYR 798

31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,600

$566 MYR 2,243

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,854

$387 MYR 1,536

20.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 MYR 6,761

$2,159 MYR 8,560

-21.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 MYR 3,532

$1,568 MYR 6,219

-43.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,514

$555 MYR 2,201

-31.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Labuan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Labuan and $276 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Labuan vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $246 per month, with Kuching 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

Labuan vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 45% 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: $386 in Labuan versus $276 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 $20.00 versus $23.00 in Labuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Labuan versus $774 in Kuching – a 16% 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 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 16% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.