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: $982 in Setia Alam versus $899 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,469 in Setia Alam versus $1,388 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,956 in Setia Alam versus $1,877 in Kuching.

Living in Setia Alam is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Setia Alam 29% lower, Kuching 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$3.44 MYR 13.87

41.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$24.31 MYR 98.1

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$5.05 MYR 20.36

-4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$3.23 MYR 13.01

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$0.76 MYR 3.08

3.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.38 MYR 1.54

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$4.83 MYR 19.49

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$6.32 MYR 25.49

-3.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$2.22 MYR 8.96

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$1.19 MYR 4.78

-35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.21 MYR 4.89

-12.40%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$2.56 MYR 10.34

-30.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$11.23 MYR 45.29

-54.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$4.52 MYR 18.23

-5.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$10.03 MYR 40.45

-3.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$3.33 MYR 13.42

-58.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.32 MYR 5.33

43.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$2.50 MYR 10.08

-45.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$1.87 MYR 7.54

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$1.52 MYR 6.14

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$1.21 MYR 4.90

11.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$1.64 MYR 6.61

-61.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.56 MYR 2.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$4.78 MYR 19.30

-9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$21.25 MYR 85.7

-8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$4.23 MYR 17.06

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$5.15 MYR 20.77

-5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.64 MYR 2.59

10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$12.58 MYR 50.7

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$1.04 MYR 4.18

22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$1.22 MYR 4.92

4.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$8.85 MYR 35.71

-43.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$0.86 MYR 3.46

-23.26%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$43.0K MYR 173.4K

-3.13%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$37.3K MYR 150.3K

-6.50%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$36.51 MYR 147

72.64%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$10.11 MYR 40.79

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$24.41 MYR 98.5

8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$30.47 MYR 123

87.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$12.55 MYR 50.6

-47.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$5.02 MYR 20.26

5.78%

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

$176 MYR 711

$136 MYR 550

29.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$7,032 MYR 28.4K

58.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$63.0 MYR 254

16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$38.04 MYR 153

-32.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$90.3 MYR 364

0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$65.1 MYR 263

-14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$369 MYR 1,490

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$239 MYR 966

32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$644 MYR 2,599

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$460 MYR 1,854

19.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$2,094 MYR 8,447

-1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$1,534 MYR 6,188

-27.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$548 MYR 2,209

110.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.37

-5.72%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuching: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Setia Alam and $369 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 110% 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: $24.00 in Setia Alam vs $24.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $274 per month, with Setia Alam 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

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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Setia Alam, 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: $536 in Setia Alam 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Setia Alam versus $899 in Kuching – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Kuching versus $982 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 9% less than in Setia Alam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.