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: $986 in Sarawak versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Sarawak versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Sarawak versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Sarawak is roughly 11% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 29% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.19

$3.53 MYR 14.35

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$25.07 MYR 102

-22.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.22

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-10.45%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$0.80 MYR 3.24

2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.39 MYR 1.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.77

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.46

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-25.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-21.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-11.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.22 MYR 4.95

23.77%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-27.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MYR 53.6

$11.49 MYR 46.74

14.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$4.44 MYR 18.04

-1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.85

$9.68 MYR 39.38

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.26

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.33 MYR 5.43

32.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-10.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-15.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.15 MYR 4.69

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-23.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.55 MYR 2.25

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.89

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.29

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-25.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.97

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.63 MYR 2.58

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.50 MYR 50.9

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-0.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.96 MYR 3.90

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MYR 29.77

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-17.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-14.12%

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

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-0.63%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-2.73%

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

$49.33 MYR 201

$35.37 MYR 144

39.47%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.41

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 MYR 116

$24.25 MYR 98.7

17.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 MYR 164

$30.72 MYR 125

31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 MYR 26.45

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-46.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.13

$4.91 MYR 19.96

0.81%

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

$177 MYR 718

$135 MYR 551

30.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-31.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$63.4 MYR 258

-3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 MYR 146

$37.96 MYR 154

-5.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 330

$90.7 MYR 369

-10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MYR 282

$66.9 MYR 272

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,716

$371 MYR 1,510

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,334

$240 MYR 977

36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,883

$648 MYR 2,635

9.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,007

$454 MYR 1,845

8.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,485

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-1.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 MYR 4,567

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-27.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MYR 1,397

$548 MYR 2,229

-37.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Sarawak and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 60% 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 $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $273 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 Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% 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: $422 in Sarawak versus $371 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 $25.00 versus $19.00 in Sarawak. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $986 per month in Sarawak versus $889 in Kuching – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $986 in Sarawak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Sarawak. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 11% less than in Sarawak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.