Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Setia Alam versus $774 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Setia Alam versus $1,217 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,842 in Setia Alam versus $1,660 in Kuching.

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 20% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Setia Alam 31% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MYR 18.31

$2.84 MYR 11.35

61.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 MYR 92.4

$20.23 MYR 80.7

14.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.32

$4.63 MYR 18.46

4.54%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.50

$2.44 MYR 9.74

28.28%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.56

$0.69 MYR 2.77

28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.47

$0.32 MYR 1.28

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.99

$2.76 MYR 11.02

54.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MYR 22.91

$3.56 MYR 14.22

61.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.16

$1.91 MYR 7.60

-5.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$1.12 MYR 4.48

-39.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.91

$1.03 MYR 4.11

-4.85%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$2.17 MYR 8.66

-20.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.44

$9.74 MYR 38.87

-52.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 MYR 15.63

$3.90 MYR 15.55

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 37.69

$8.04 MYR 32.07

17.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.29

$3.11 MYR 12.43

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.34

$1.11 MYR 4.42

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.14

$2.58 MYR 10.29

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.71

$1.78 MYR 7.08

-19.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.93

$1.14 MYR 4.55

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.07

$1.17 MYR 4.69

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$1.74 MYR 6.92

-64.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.24

$0.53 MYR 2.13

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.20

$4.14 MYR 16.52

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 MYR 79.6

$21.39 MYR 85.3

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 MYR 12.90

$3.87 MYR 15.44

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.05

$3.50 MYR 13.98

22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.25 MYR 1.00

192.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 47.61

$11.64 MYR 46.43

2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$0.91 MYR 3.62

27.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.14 MYR 4.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.42

$1.83 MYR 7.32

152.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.49 MYR 1.96

-2.04%

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

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

$45.0K MYR 179.5K

-12.63%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

$36.0K MYR 143.8K

-10.58%

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

$58.1 MYR 232

$41.77 MYR 167

38.98%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.26

$8.95 MYR 35.73

18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 MYR 103

$25.07 MYR 100

3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MYR 223

$29.40 MYR 117

89.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 MYR 9.37

$9.60 MYR 38.32

-75.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 MYR 20.39

$4.73 MYR 18.88

8.03%

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

$193 MYR 769

$143 MYR 572

34.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

$6,074 MYR 24.2K

57.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 245

$65.9 MYR 263

-6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 MYR 98.6

$31.95 MYR 127

-22.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 337

$85.9 MYR 343

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 208

$73.0 MYR 291

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 1,979

$276 MYR 1,100

79.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,233

$201 MYR 803

53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 MYR 3,252

$566 MYR 2,257

44.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MYR 2,091

$387 MYR 1,545

35.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 MYR 7,840

$2,159 MYR 8,614

-8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,955

$1,568 MYR 6,258

-36.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 MYR 4,708

$555 MYR 2,214

112.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.27

-3.51%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Setia Alam and $276 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 113% 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 Setia Alam vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $246, with Setia Alam 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

Setia Alam vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Setia Alam pays 113% 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: $496 in Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $927 per month in Setia Alam versus $774 in Kuching – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $927 in Setia Alam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Setia Alam. 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 Setia Alam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Setia Alam 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 20% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.