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: $910 in Sarawak versus $782 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Sarawak versus $1,204 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,716 in Sarawak versus $1,625 in Kuching.

Living in Sarawak is roughly 16% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 32% lower, Kuching 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$2.89 MYR 11.80

23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$20.12 MYR 82.3

-6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MYR 21.32

$4.79 MYR 19.59

8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.43

$2.55 MYR 10.43

9.41%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.72 MYR 2.93

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.30 MYR 1.23

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 MYR 31.38

$2.75 MYR 11.23

178.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 MYR 34.42

$3.64 MYR 14.87

131.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$1.90 MYR 7.79

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.08

$1.10 MYR 4.49

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.06 MYR 4.32

17.92%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$2.25 MYR 9.18

-4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$9.44 MYR 38.61

57.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$3.74 MYR 15.28

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.80

$7.89 MYR 32.27

20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.80

$3.03 MYR 12.40

-4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.26

$1.14 MYR 4.67

34.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.23

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.12 MYR 4.56

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.20 MYR 4.89

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 4.07

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.52 MYR 2.15

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.09

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.95 MYR 69.3

$20.76 MYR 84.9

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.51

$3.79 MYR 15.51

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$3.42 MYR 13.99

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.23 MYR 0.94

213.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 48.00

$11.81 MYR 48.28

-0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.96 MYR 3.93

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-10.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 24.04

$1.91 MYR 7.82

207.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.46 MYR 1.89

8.70%

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

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

-23.38%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

-11.76%

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

$43.10 MYR 176

$40.93 MYR 167

5.30%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.24

$9.27 MYR 37.91

-4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.05 MYR 119

$25.28 MYR 103

14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 152

$29.07 MYR 119

27.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$9.96 MYR 40.74

-39.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.38

$4.67 MYR 19.11

6.64%

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

$189 MYR 771

$145 MYR 592

30.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

12.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.25 MYR 148

$65.1 MYR 266

-44.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 MYR 159

$31.59 MYR 129

22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 319

$86.8 MYR 355

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 229

$72.1 MYR 295

-22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,347

$279 MYR 1,141

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$203 MYR 830

34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,038

$569 MYR 2,325

-12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,455

$385 MYR 1,575

-7.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,076 MYR 8,489

$2,089 MYR 8,543

-0.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,646

$1,518 MYR 6,207

-25.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 MYR 1,706

$541 MYR 2,214

-22.96%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Sarawak and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Sarawak vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $242 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Kuching. 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: $329 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 $910 per month in Sarawak versus $782 in Kuching – a 16% 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 16% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.