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: $1,056 in Lumut, Perak versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,536 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,016 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Lumut, Perak is roughly 19% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 23% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.57

$3.53 MYR 14.35

8.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.29 MYR 50.0

$25.07 MYR 102

-50.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.37

$4.93 MYR 20.05

1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.28

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-9.85%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$0.80 MYR 3.24

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$0.39 MYR 1.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 MYR 15.70

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-16.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 MYR 25.50

$6.06 MYR 24.67

3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 MYR 8.87

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-6.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.36

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.25

$1.22 MYR 4.95

66.39%

Eggs

$2.46 MYR 9.99

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 MYR 63.2

$11.49 MYR 46.74

35.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 19.35

$4.44 MYR 18.04

7.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MYR 39.42

$9.68 MYR 39.38

0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.87

$3.36 MYR 13.69

1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.79

$1.33 MYR 5.43

44.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.00

$2.45 MYR 9.96

0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.49

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-13.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.39

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.93

$1.15 MYR 4.69

26.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-23.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.55 MYR 2.25

38.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.90

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.6

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.88

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.20

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 3.06

$0.63 MYR 2.58

19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.22 MYR 49.70

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-2.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$0.96 MYR 3.90

28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-60.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 MYR 19.79

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-44.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-8.24%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-0.12%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-2.72%

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

$64.9 MYR 264

$35.37 MYR 144

83.55%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.07

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-9.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 MYR 107

$24.25 MYR 98.7

8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.40 MYR 168

$30.72 MYR 125

34.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.56 MYR 26.69

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-46.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 MYR 21.74

$4.91 MYR 19.96

8.76%

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

$298 MYR 1,214

$135 MYR 551

120.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,956 MYR 20.2K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-31.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 MYR 296

$63.4 MYR 258

14.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MYR 173

$37.96 MYR 154

12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 MYR 358

$90.7 MYR 369

-2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MYR 406

$66.9 MYR 272

49.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 MYR 1,756

$371 MYR 1,510

16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 MYR 1,371

$240 MYR 977

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,898

$648 MYR 2,635

10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$454 MYR 1,845

9.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,091 MYR 8,507

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 MYR 4,578

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-27.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$377 MYR 1,535

$548 MYR 2,229

-31.11%

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 Lumut, Perak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Lumut, Perak and $371 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: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $25.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $273, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $432 in Lumut, Perak 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $889 in Kuching – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,056 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 19% less than in Lumut, Perak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.