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: $876 in Pasig versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Pasig versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,939 in Pasig versus $1,633 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

$4.47 ₱271

$2.76 MYR 11.19

61.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 ₱1,625

$20.32 MYR 82.4

31.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 ₱199

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-31.81%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱159

$2.53 MYR 10.26

3.56%

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

$0.66 ₱39.90

$0.76 MYR 3.07

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.42

$0.29 MYR 1.19

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱90.4

$2.78 MYR 11.27

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₱158

$3.61 MYR 14.63

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱116

$1.91 MYR 7.76

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱84.5

$1.09 MYR 4.44

27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.2

$1.06 MYR 4.28

0.94%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱133

$2.15 MYR 8.73

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 ₱553

$9.37 MYR 38.01

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱251

$3.79 MYR 15.36

8.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 ₱504

$8.01 MYR 32.49

3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱212

$2.99 MYR 12.14

16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₱112

$1.14 MYR 4.63

61.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 ₱219

$2.59 MYR 10.48

39.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱106

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-2.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ₱166

$1.11 MYR 4.50

146.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₱186

$1.24 MYR 5.01

146.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₱122

$1.69 MYR 6.87

19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.31

$0.53 MYR 2.13

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱198

$4.19 MYR 17.00

-21.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 ₱589

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-54.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱87.3

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-62.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱135

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-34.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.02

$0.23 MYR 0.93

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.04 ₱367

$11.92 MYR 48.32

-49.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$0.93 MYR 3.76

-6.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.34

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-80.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱132

$1.84 MYR 7.45

18.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱70.3

$0.50 MYR 2.03

132.00%

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

$26.7K ₱1.6M

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-40.09%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-44.37%

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

$134 ₱8,150

$41.24 MYR 167

225.48%

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

$35.30 ₱2,143

$8.92 MYR 36.16

295.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 ₱1,660

$25.42 MYR 103

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.96 ₱2,062

$29.51 MYR 120

15.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱271

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-54.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 ₱398

$4.63 MYR 18.77

41.68%

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

$152 ₱9,223

$141 MYR 572

7.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,799 ₱291.4K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

-20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.37 ₱2,937

$65.8 MYR 267

-26.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 ₱2,131

$31.99 MYR 130

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,647

$85.9 MYR 348

-10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 ₱2,794

$71.5 MYR 290

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱21.2K

$285 MYR 1,156

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ₱12.1K

$205 MYR 830

-3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₱35.2K

$556 MYR 2,255

4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ₱30.5K

$386 MYR 1,566

29.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,353 ₱203.6K

$2,144 MYR 8,692

56.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,527 ₱153.4K

$1,535 MYR 6,224

64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 ₱26.9K

$552 MYR 2,239

-19.88%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $350 in Pasig and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Pasig vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $243, 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 25% 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: $350 in Pasig 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 $27.00 in Pasig. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $876 per month in Pasig versus $802 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.