Cost of Living Comparison Between Sentul and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Sentul and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $841 in Sentul versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,264 in Sentul versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,687 in Sentul versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Sentul is roughly 5% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sentul 37% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.08

$2.80 MYR 11.08

27.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 MYR 74.3

$20.00 MYR 79.0

-6.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.69

$4.68 MYR 18.49

1.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.20

$2.45 MYR 9.69

15.51%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.76

$0.32 MYR 1.27

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.27

$2.89 MYR 11.43

24.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 MYR 20.39

$3.63 MYR 14.33

42.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.12

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.14

$1.02 MYR 4.03

77.45%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.26 MYR 8.91

-19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MYR 41.41

$9.55 MYR 37.72

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 MYR 13.33

$3.73 MYR 14.72

-9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.47

$7.99 MYR 31.56

2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.54

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.71

$1.15 MYR 4.54

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.82

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-4.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.46

$1.11 MYR 4.40

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$1.24 MYR 4.89

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MYR 3.45

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.37

$0.53 MYR 2.10

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.39

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.57 MYR 57.5

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.88

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.44

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.25 MYR 0.99

172.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.72

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$0.98 MYR 3.88

3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-11.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.19

$1.92 MYR 7.60

390.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.47 MYR 1.84

-2.13%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.5K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-31.06%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-22.56%

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

$40.35 MYR 159

$40.86 MYR 161

-1.25%

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

$9.11 MYR 35.97

$9.15 MYR 36.13

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 MYR 93.5

$25.01 MYR 98.8

-5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 146

$29.43 MYR 116

25.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 22.73

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-41.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.69

$4.72 MYR 18.65

5.72%

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

$190 MYR 749

$145 MYR 575

30.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.2K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

12.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 MYR 260

$65.8 MYR 260

-0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 MYR 110

$31.81 MYR 126

-12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 MYR 233

$86.1 MYR 340

-31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.36 MYR 191

$71.3 MYR 282

-32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,529

$284 MYR 1,123

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,051

$203 MYR 800

31.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 MYR 2,496

$566 MYR 2,237

11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,867

$378 MYR 1,494

24.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 MYR 7,076

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-14.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 MYR 3,634

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-40.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MYR 3,643

$554 MYR 2,186

66.61%

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 Sentul: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Sentul and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sentul pays 67% 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: $19.00 in Sentul vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $245 per month, with Sentul 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

Sentul vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sentul pays 67% 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: $387 in Sentul versus $284 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 Sentul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $841 per month in Sentul versus $804 in Kuching – a 5% 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 Sentul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sentul 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 5% less than in Sentul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.