Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $910 per month in Sarawak vs $1,063 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Sarawak vs $1,605 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,716 per month in Sarawak vs $2,148 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Sarawak is about 14% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 32% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$4.81 MYR 19.66

-25.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$28.49 MYR 117

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MYR 21.32

$4.81 MYR 19.67

8.32%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.43

$3.07 MYR 12.54

-9.12%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.86 MYR 3.51

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.53 MYR 2.18

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 MYR 31.38

$4.21 MYR 17.23

82.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 MYR 34.42

$6.05 MYR 24.73

39.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$1.99 MYR 8.13

-8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.08

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.67 MYR 6.81

-25.15%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$2.25 MYR 9.19

-4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$14.44 MYR 59.1

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$4.77 MYR 19.51

-46.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.80

$9.87 MYR 40.35

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.80

$2.95 MYR 12.06

-2.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.26

$1.64 MYR 6.72

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.23

$2.72 MYR 11.11

-8.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.52 MYR 6.20

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.22 MYR 5.01

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.40 MYR 5.73

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 4.07

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-18.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.64 MYR 2.62

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.09

$4.31 MYR 17.63

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.95 MYR 69.3

$18.45 MYR 75.5

-8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.51

$3.28 MYR 13.43

-14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-29.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 48.00

$11.90 MYR 48.68

-1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.21 MYR 4.97

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-5.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 24.04

$4.83 MYR 19.76

21.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.50 MYR 2.05

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

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

-13.52%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$32.4K MYR 132.6K

-1.52%

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

$43.10 MYR 176

$63.7 MYR 260

-32.32%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.24

$11.37 MYR 46.49

-22.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.05 MYR 119

$26.08 MYR 107

11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 152

$46.62 MYR 191

-20.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$8.00 MYR 32.72

-24.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.38

$5.27 MYR 21.55

-5.50%

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

$189 MYR 771

$266 MYR 1,090

-29.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

$9,540 MYR 39.0K

-27.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.25 MYR 148

$60.9 MYR 249

-40.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 MYR 159

$36.65 MYR 150

6.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 319

$85.2 MYR 349

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 229

$80.9 MYR 331

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,347

$566 MYR 2,313

-41.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$364 MYR 1,487

-24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,038

$1,090 MYR 4,457

-54.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,455

$647 MYR 2,644

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,076 MYR 8,489

$4,056 MYR 16.6K

-48.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,646

$1,416 MYR 5,789

-19.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 MYR 1,706

$1,570 MYR 6,420

-73.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.47

-8.95%

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

Last update for Sarawak: July 19, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Sarawak versus $566 in Kuala Lumpur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 276% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Sarawak versus $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $267 – making Sarawak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sarawak vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,364 per month in Sarawak and $1,594 in Kuala Lumpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Sarawak and $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,063. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sarawak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.