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: $928 in Lumut, Perak versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,381 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,633 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 31% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.67

$2.76 MYR 11.19

31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.71 MYR 47.48

$20.32 MYR 82.4

-42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.74

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.21

$2.53 MYR 10.26

9.09%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.47

$0.76 MYR 3.07

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.29 MYR 1.19

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$2.78 MYR 11.27

29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 MYR 23.46

$3.61 MYR 14.63

60.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 MYR 8.13

$1.91 MYR 7.76

4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.29

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.98

$1.06 MYR 4.28

62.26%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.23

$2.15 MYR 8.73

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.37 MYR 58.3

$9.37 MYR 38.01

53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 MYR 18.54

$3.79 MYR 15.36

20.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 38.36

$8.01 MYR 32.49

18.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.78

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.33

$1.14 MYR 4.63

36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.92

$2.59 MYR 10.48

3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.17

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.11 MYR 4.50

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.24 MYR 5.01

7.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.75

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.51

$0.53 MYR 2.13

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.78

$4.19 MYR 17.00

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.05 MYR 77.3

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.59

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 17.04

$3.41 MYR 13.82

23.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.98

$0.23 MYR 0.93

221.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 48.62

$11.92 MYR 48.32

0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.93 MYR 3.76

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.64

$1.11 MYR 4.49

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.61

$1.84 MYR 7.45

163.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.50 MYR 2.03

2.00%

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

$40.4K MYR 163.7K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-9.42%

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

$32.5K MYR 131.8K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-12.94%

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

$64.4 MYR 261

$41.24 MYR 167

56.18%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.71

$8.92 MYR 36.16

26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.07 MYR 106

$25.42 MYR 103

2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 MYR 148

$29.51 MYR 120

23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.77 MYR 23.40

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-40.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 MYR 21.50

$4.63 MYR 18.77

14.47%

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

$268 MYR 1,087

$141 MYR 572

89.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,459 MYR 38.4K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

56.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 MYR 244

$65.8 MYR 267

-8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 MYR 149

$31.99 MYR 130

14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 MYR 351

$85.9 MYR 348

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 MYR 330

$71.5 MYR 290

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,580

$285 MYR 1,156

36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,112

$205 MYR 830

33.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,619

$556 MYR 2,255

16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,906

$386 MYR 1,566

21.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 MYR 7,613

$2,144 MYR 8,692

-12.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$875 MYR 3,547

$1,535 MYR 6,224

-43.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 MYR 1,553

$552 MYR 2,239

-30.65%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Lumut, Perak and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 44% 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 $243, 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 44% 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: $390 in Lumut, Perak versus $285 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 $928 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $802 in Kuching – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $928 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.