Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,008 in Selangor versus $774 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,449 in Selangor versus $1,217 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,890 in Selangor versus $1,660 in Kuching.

Living in Selangor is roughly 30% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$2.84 MYR 11.28

-9.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 MYR 91.7

$20.23 MYR 80.2

14.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 14.84

$4.63 MYR 18.35

-19.22%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.83

$2.44 MYR 9.68

-8.61%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.06

$0.69 MYR 2.75

11.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.32 MYR 1.28

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$2.76 MYR 10.95

51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MYR 21.15

$3.56 MYR 14.13

49.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.12 MYR 4.45

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.03 MYR 4.08

40.78%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.17 MYR 8.60

-15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$9.74 MYR 38.62

48.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.46

$3.90 MYR 15.45

19.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 38.98

$8.04 MYR 31.86

22.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.37

$3.11 MYR 12.35

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.52

$1.11 MYR 4.39

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$2.58 MYR 10.22

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.98

$1.78 MYR 7.04

-15.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.03

$1.14 MYR 4.52

11.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$1.17 MYR 4.66

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$0.53 MYR 2.11

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.12

$4.14 MYR 16.42

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.5

$21.39 MYR 84.8

-8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.35

$3.87 MYR 15.34

-12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.88

$3.50 MYR 13.89

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.25 MYR 0.99

196.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

$11.64 MYR 46.14

-0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$0.91 MYR 3.60

32.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$1.14 MYR 4.53

-3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MYR 17.39

$1.83 MYR 7.27

139.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-6.12%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

-12.67%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

-11.46%

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

$65.4 MYR 259

$41.77 MYR 166

56.62%

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

$9.48 MYR 37.59

$8.95 MYR 35.50

5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 MYR 102

$25.07 MYR 99.4

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 MYR 153

$29.40 MYR 117

31.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 MYR 28.90

$9.60 MYR 38.08

-24.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MYR 20.62

$4.73 MYR 18.77

9.94%

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

$117 MYR 462

$143 MYR 569

-18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

-27.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$65.9 MYR 261

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 147

$31.95 MYR 127

15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MYR 298

$85.9 MYR 340

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 313

$73.0 MYR 289

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 MYR 1,749

$276 MYR 1,093

60.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,379

$201 MYR 798

72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 MYR 3,365

$566 MYR 2,243

50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,871

$387 MYR 1,536

21.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

$2,159 MYR 8,560

-23.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

$1,568 MYR 6,219

-53.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

$555 MYR 2,201

80.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.27

-7.26%

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

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Selangor and $276 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 81% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Selangor vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $246 per month, with Kuching 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

Selangor vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Selangor pays 81% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Selangor versus $276 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 $23.00 in Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,008 per month in Selangor versus $774 in Kuching – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $1,008 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Selangor. 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 Selangor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Selangor 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 30% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.