Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Lumut, Perak versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 16% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$2.80 MYR 11.08

26.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 MYR 47.02

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-40.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.91

$4.68 MYR 18.49

2.35%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$2.45 MYR 9.69

13.06%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.34

$0.75 MYR 2.94

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.32 MYR 1.27

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 MYR 14.49

$2.89 MYR 11.43

26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 22.88

$3.63 MYR 14.33

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 7.81

$1.90 MYR 7.51

4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.13

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.59

$1.02 MYR 4.03

63.73%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.54

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 MYR 56.7

$9.55 MYR 37.72

50.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 17.99

$3.73 MYR 14.72

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 MYR 38.44

$7.99 MYR 31.56

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.15 MYR 4.54

41.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$2.62 MYR 10.36

3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-17.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.11 MYR 4.40

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.24 MYR 4.89

11.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-32.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$0.53 MYR 2.10

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.52

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 MYR 73.9

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.71

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 MYR 17.45

$3.47 MYR 13.71

27.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$0.25 MYR 0.99

196.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$11.84 MYR 46.78

0.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$0.98 MYR 3.88

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$1.11 MYR 4.38

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 18.86

$1.92 MYR 7.60

148.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.47 MYR 1.84

8.51%

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

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-14.19%

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

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-11.63%

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

$63.3 MYR 250

$40.86 MYR 161

54.80%

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

$11.35 MYR 44.82

$9.15 MYR 36.13

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.66 MYR 101

$25.01 MYR 98.8

2.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 MYR 144

$29.43 MYR 116

24.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 23.57

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-39.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MYR 20.71

$4.72 MYR 18.65

11.02%

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

$269 MYR 1,061

$145 MYR 575

84.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

55.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 243

$65.8 MYR 260

-6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 MYR 147

$31.81 MYR 126

17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MYR 340

$86.1 MYR 340

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 321

$71.3 MYR 282

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,556

$284 MYR 1,123

38.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,060

$203 MYR 800

32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,510

$566 MYR 2,237

12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,827

$378 MYR 1,494

22.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,902 MYR 7,515

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-8.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 MYR 3,679

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-40.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$394 MYR 1,556

$554 MYR 2,186

-28.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.27

4.68%

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

Last update for Lumut, Perak: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Lumut, Perak and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $245, 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

Lumut, Perak vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Kuching earns 41% 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: $394 in Lumut, Perak versus $284 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $804 in Kuching – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $935 in Lumut, Perak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Lumut, Perak. 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 Lumut, Perak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.