Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Sibu versus $870 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,308 in Sibu versus $1,398 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Sibu versus $1,926 in Kuching.

Living in Sibu is roughly 2% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibu 35% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MYR 8.91

$3.40 MYR 13.87

-35.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.8

$24.39 MYR 99.6

-19.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$4.95 MYR 20.20

-15.15%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.21 MYR 13.11

-26.48%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$0.75 MYR 3.08

-10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 MYR 0.98

$0.36 MYR 1.47

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$4.77 MYR 19.45

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$6.11 MYR 24.96

-29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$2.38 MYR 9.73

-25.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.17 MYR 4.77

11.97%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$2.49 MYR 10.19

-20.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 MYR 61.4

$11.41 MYR 46.59

31.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$4.30 MYR 17.56

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.40

$9.75 MYR 39.81

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$3.16 MYR 12.90

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$1.34 MYR 5.47

37.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.18

$2.47 MYR 10.10

10.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.34 MYR 5.49

-5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.15 MYR 4.70

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.54 MYR 2.22

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$4.73 MYR 19.33

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.54 MYR 83.9

$22.31 MYR 91.1

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$4.11 MYR 16.79

-27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.93

$5.13 MYR 20.95

-28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$0.58 MYR 2.38

13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.00 MYR 57.2

$12.49 MYR 51.0

12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MYR 5.33

$0.94 MYR 3.82

39.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-63.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 MYR 34.41

$8.44 MYR 34.48

-0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.81 MYR 3.31

-18.52%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

-12.57%

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

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

-3.53%

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

$49.25 MYR 201

$35.66 MYR 146

38.11%

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

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$10.22 MYR 41.73

-29.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$25.15 MYR 103

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.76 MYR 113

$29.90 MYR 122

-7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.30

$12.21 MYR 49.87

-47.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 MYR 14.89

$5.05 MYR 20.61

-27.72%

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

$180 MYR 735

$136 MYR 553

32.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

-31.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$63.9 MYR 261

-4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 MYR 148

$37.13 MYR 152

-2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MYR 380

$89.5 MYR 365

3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 MYR 283

$64.5 MYR 263

7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,696

$360 MYR 1,468

15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MYR 1,466

$242 MYR 988

48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 MYR 3,201

$642 MYR 2,622

22.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,832

$475 MYR 1,939

-5.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 MYR 7,822

$2,104 MYR 8,589

-8.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$1,527 MYR 6,233

-24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 MYR 2,037

$536 MYR 2,188

-6.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Sibu and $360 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Sibu vs $24.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $274 per month, with Sibu 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

Sibu vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Kuching. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $416 in Sibu versus $360 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 Sibu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $884 per month in Sibu versus $870 in Kuching – a 2% 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 Sibu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sibu 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 2% less than in Sibu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.