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: $1,029 in Selangor versus $899 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Selangor versus $1,388 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Selangor versus $1,877 in Kuching.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Kuching 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$3.44 MYR 13.90

27.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$24.31 MYR 98.3

-16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$5.05 MYR 20.41

-19.60%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$3.23 MYR 13.04

-30.65%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$0.76 MYR 3.09

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.38 MYR 1.55

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$4.83 MYR 19.54

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$6.32 MYR 25.55

-21.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$2.22 MYR 8.98

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.19 MYR 4.79

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.21 MYR 4.90

23.14%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.56 MYR 10.36

-21.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$11.23 MYR 45.39

43.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$4.52 MYR 18.27

8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$10.03 MYR 40.54

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$3.33 MYR 13.45

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.32 MYR 5.35

39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.50 MYR 10.10

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$1.87 MYR 7.55

-11.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.52 MYR 6.15

-11.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.64 MYR 6.63

-28.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$0.56 MYR 2.25

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$4.78 MYR 19.34

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$21.25 MYR 85.9

-10.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$4.23 MYR 17.10

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$5.15 MYR 20.82

-1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.64 MYR 2.60

95.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$12.58 MYR 50.9

0.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.04 MYR 4.19

17.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.22 MYR 4.93

3.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$8.85 MYR 35.79

-49.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-19.77%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$43.0K MYR 173.8K

-0.16%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$37.3K MYR 150.7K

-4.76%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$36.51 MYR 148

79.54%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$10.11 MYR 40.89

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$24.41 MYR 98.7

8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$30.47 MYR 123

32.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$12.55 MYR 50.8

-43.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$5.02 MYR 20.31

8.17%

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

$123 MYR 499

$136 MYR 552

-9.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$7,032 MYR 28.4K

5.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$63.0 MYR 255

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$38.04 MYR 154

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$90.3 MYR 365

-12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$65.1 MYR 263

26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$369 MYR 1,494

37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$239 MYR 968

45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$644 MYR 2,605

41.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$460 MYR 1,858

6.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$2,094 MYR 8,466

-22.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$1,534 MYR 6,202

-53.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$548 MYR 2,214

93.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.37

-9.38%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuching: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Selangor and $369 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 94% 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: $20.00 in Selangor vs $24.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $274, with Kuching cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% higher in Selangor, 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: $509 in Selangor versus $369 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 $24.00 versus $20.00 in Selangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,029 per month in Selangor versus $899 in Kuching – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Kuching versus $1,029 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 14% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.