Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $875 in Pasig versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,398 in Pasig versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,922 in Pasig versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Pasig is roughly 9% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasig 35% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ₱272

$2.80 MYR 11.08

58.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.14 ₱1,599

$20.00 MYR 79.0

30.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₱210

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-26.50%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱160

$2.45 MYR 9.69

6.94%

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

$0.69 ₱42.09

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.58

$0.32 MYR 1.27

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₱94.5

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₱164

$3.63 MYR 14.33

-26.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ₱112

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱85.7

$1.12 MYR 4.43

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.3

$1.02 MYR 4.03

5.88%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱140

$2.26 MYR 8.91

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 ₱565

$9.55 MYR 37.72

-3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 ₱261

$3.73 MYR 14.72

14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.76 ₱536

$7.99 MYR 31.56

9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ₱210

$3.08 MYR 12.18

11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱110

$1.15 MYR 4.54

56.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 ₱218

$2.62 MYR 10.36

35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱105

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 ₱163

$1.11 MYR 4.40

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱193

$1.24 MYR 4.89

154.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 ₱119

$1.74 MYR 6.88

12.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.48

$0.53 MYR 2.10

47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₱204

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-21.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.68 ₱592

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱89.2

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-61.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱129

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-39.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.88

$0.25 MYR 0.99

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.12 ₱374

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-48.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.2

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.69

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-78.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱128

$1.92 MYR 7.60

8.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.1

$0.47 MYR 1.84

136.17%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-41.94%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-44.17%

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

$135 ₱8,286

$40.86 MYR 161

231.45%

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

$34.75 ₱2,126

$9.15 MYR 36.13

279.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.37 ₱1,675

$25.01 MYR 98.8

9.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.29 ₱2,098

$29.43 MYR 116

16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱275

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-54.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₱399

$4.72 MYR 18.65

38.14%

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

$153 ₱9,380

$145 MYR 575

5.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,694 ₱287.2K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

-23.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.89 ₱2,930

$65.8 MYR 260

-27.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 ₱2,138

$31.81 MYR 126

9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,624

$86.1 MYR 340

-12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 ₱2,815

$71.3 MYR 282

-35.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₱21.8K

$284 MYR 1,123

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₱12.3K

$203 MYR 800

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.4K

$566 MYR 2,237

2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱30.3K

$378 MYR 1,494

30.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,390 ₱207.4K

$2,090 MYR 8,254

62.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,617 ₱160.1K

$1,556 MYR 6,145

68.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ₱28.5K

$554 MYR 2,186

-15.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.27

5.39%

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

Last update for Pasig: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Pasig and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Pasig vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $245, with Pasig 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

Pasig vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 19% 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: $356 in Pasig 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 $26.00 in Pasig. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $875 per month in Pasig versus $804 in Kuching – a 9% 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 Pasig, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pasig 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 9% less than in Pasig. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.