Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Sarawak versus $799 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Sarawak versus $1,238 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,714 in Sarawak versus $1,677 in Kuching.

Living in Sarawak is roughly 14% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 32% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.65

$2.89 MYR 11.42

19.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 73.9

$20.23 MYR 79.9

-7.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 MYR 21.37

$4.76 MYR 18.81

13.66%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.66

$2.57 MYR 10.15

5.06%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$0.71 MYR 2.81

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.30 MYR 1.17

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 MYR 30.51

$2.75 MYR 10.87

180.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 MYR 32.13

$3.58 MYR 14.13

127.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.94 MYR 7.68

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.12 MYR 4.44

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.07 MYR 4.21

14.95%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.08

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 MYR 59.5

$9.35 MYR 36.93

61.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.48

$3.74 MYR 14.76

-29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 37.93

$8.02 MYR 31.69

19.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.81

$3.07 MYR 12.12

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.11 MYR 4.37

31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.88

$2.53 MYR 9.99

-1.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.65

$1.77 MYR 6.98

-19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.15 MYR 4.56

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.20 MYR 4.72

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$1.67 MYR 6.60

-37.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.47

$0.52 MYR 2.07

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.41

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 MYR 64.1

$21.61 MYR 85.4

-24.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$3.84 MYR 15.15

-25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.74

$3.51 MYR 13.87

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.23 MYR 0.90

217.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.65

$11.59 MYR 45.77

-0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$0.98 MYR 3.88

22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.90

$1.09 MYR 4.32

-9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.35

$1.85 MYR 7.31

219.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.47 MYR 1.84

6.38%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

$44.7K MYR 176.5K

-21.21%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$37.3K MYR 147.3K

-14.93%

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

$42.70 MYR 169

$42.29 MYR 167

0.97%

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

$8.86 MYR 34.99

$8.83 MYR 34.86

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.95 MYR 114

$25.43 MYR 100

13.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 146

$29.59 MYR 117

25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.82

$9.61 MYR 37.95

-37.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.34

$4.67 MYR 18.46

4.93%

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

$187 MYR 737

$141 MYR 559

31.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

$6,132 MYR 24.2K

13.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.88 MYR 142

$65.0 MYR 257

-44.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 MYR 155

$32.44 MYR 128

20.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MYR 311

$86.6 MYR 342

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 MYR 227

$73.0 MYR 288

-21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,289

$279 MYR 1,103

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,065

$203 MYR 802

32.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 1,977

$564 MYR 2,227

-11.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,405

$392 MYR 1,548

-9.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 6,928

$2,160 MYR 8,534

-18.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 MYR 3,498

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-43.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MYR 1,696

$555 MYR 2,192

-22.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $326 in Sarawak and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Sarawak vs $20 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $244 per month, with Sarawak cheaper across the board.

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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 29% 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: $326 in Sarawak versus $279 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 $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Sarawak versus $799 in Kuching – a 14% 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 Sarawak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sarawak 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 14% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.