Cost of Living Comparison Between Serdang and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Serdang and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Serdang versus $782 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,468 in Serdang versus $1,204 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,001 in Serdang versus $1,625 in Kuching.

Living in Serdang is roughly 19% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Serdang 30% lower, Kuching 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$2.89 MYR 11.80

65.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.01 MYR 115

$20.12 MYR 82.3

39.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$4.79 MYR 19.59

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.70

$2.55 MYR 10.43

21.96%

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

$0.90 MYR 3.69

$0.72 MYR 2.93

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.30 MYR 1.23

76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$2.75 MYR 11.23

53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 23.68

$3.64 MYR 14.87

59.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 8.10

$1.90 MYR 7.79

4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$1.10 MYR 4.49

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.85

$1.06 MYR 4.32

58.49%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.25 MYR 9.18

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 MYR 60.6

$9.44 MYR 38.61

56.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 19.48

$3.74 MYR 15.28

27.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.39

$7.89 MYR 32.27

22.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 12.00

$3.03 MYR 12.40

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.63

$1.14 MYR 4.67

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$2.62 MYR 10.71

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.16

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-14.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.12 MYR 4.56

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$1.20 MYR 4.89

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-32.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.54

$0.52 MYR 2.15

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.26 MYR 17.41

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 MYR 74.0

$20.76 MYR 84.9

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 MYR 13.30

$3.79 MYR 15.51

-14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 17.19

$3.42 MYR 13.99

22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.23 MYR 0.94

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 MYR 47.99

$11.81 MYR 48.28

-0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$0.96 MYR 3.93

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-3.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.16

$1.91 MYR 7.82

145.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$0.46 MYR 1.89

2.17%

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

$40.2K MYR 164.3K

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

-12.28%

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

$32.0K MYR 130.9K

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

-11.56%

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

$65.2 MYR 266

$40.93 MYR 167

59.17%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.26

$9.27 MYR 37.91

22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.32 MYR 104

$25.28 MYR 103

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 151

$29.07 MYR 119

27.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.70

$9.96 MYR 40.74

-41.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.78

$4.67 MYR 19.11

8.78%

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

$265 MYR 1,086

$145 MYR 592

83.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,412 MYR 38.5K

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

53.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 253

$65.1 MYR 266

-4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 MYR 154

$31.59 MYR 129

19.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 MYR 346

$86.8 MYR 355

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MYR 324

$72.1 MYR 295

9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,611

$279 MYR 1,141

41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,105

$203 MYR 830

33.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,634

$569 MYR 2,325

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,934

$385 MYR 1,575

22.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 MYR 7,724

$2,089 MYR 8,543

-9.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 MYR 5,124

$1,518 MYR 6,207

-17.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$965 MYR 3,944

$541 MYR 2,214

78.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.27

4.68%

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

Last update for Serdang: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Serdang and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Serdang pays 78% 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: $28.00 in Serdang vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $242 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

Serdang vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 78% higher in Serdang, 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: $394 in Serdang 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 $28.00 in Serdang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Serdang versus $782 in Kuching – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $782 in Kuching versus $935 in Serdang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Serdang. 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 Serdang, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Serdang 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 19% less than in Serdang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.