Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $928 in Skudai versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,343 in Skudai versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Skudai versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Skudai is roughly 4% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skudai 33% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.21

$3.53 MYR 14.31

6.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 MYR 89.3

$25.07 MYR 102

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 MYR 19.79

$4.93 MYR 19.99

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.64

$3.35 MYR 13.60

-14.33%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.80 MYR 3.23

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.39 MYR 1.56

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 MYR 13.90

$4.63 MYR 18.79

-25.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 MYR 23.70

$6.06 MYR 24.60

-3.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.12

$2.33 MYR 9.45

-24.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-14.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.07

$1.22 MYR 4.94

22.95%

Eggs

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$2.56 MYR 10.37

-33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 39.10

$11.49 MYR 46.62

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.07

$4.44 MYR 18.00

-27.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.23

$9.68 MYR 39.28

2.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.58

$3.36 MYR 13.65

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.33 MYR 5.42

30.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$2.45 MYR 9.93

13.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.66

$1.86 MYR 7.56

-11.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.78

$1.57 MYR 6.35

-9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$1.15 MYR 4.68

52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.59 MYR 6.44

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.91

$4.80 MYR 19.48

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 57.9

$21.20 MYR 86.0

-32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$4.07 MYR 16.52

-33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.28

$5.07 MYR 20.58

-40.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.63 MYR 2.57

20.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.5

$12.58 MYR 51.1

-1.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$0.96 MYR 3.89

28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-69.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MYR 38.11

$8.85 MYR 35.90

6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.95

$0.85 MYR 3.46

-14.12%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.1K

$42.5K MYR 172.3K

0.49%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.2K

$36.7K MYR 149.0K

-9.95%

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

$49.43 MYR 201

$35.37 MYR 143

39.75%

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

$8.43 MYR 34.20

$10.29 MYR 41.76

-18.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MYR 108

$24.25 MYR 98.4

10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 MYR 168

$30.72 MYR 125

35.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.56 MYR 26.60

$12.25 MYR 49.71

-46.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.59

$4.91 MYR 19.91

3.46%

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

$162 MYR 657

$135 MYR 549

19.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,558 MYR 18.5K

$7,205 MYR 29.2K

-36.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MYR 214

$63.4 MYR 257

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.99 MYR 68.9

$37.96 MYR 154

-55.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 323

$90.7 MYR 368

-12.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.41 MYR 168

$66.9 MYR 271

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,732

$371 MYR 1,506

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,354

$240 MYR 975

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 MYR 2,808

$648 MYR 2,627

6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,014

$454 MYR 1,840

9.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,062 MYR 8,366

$2,112 MYR 8,569

-2.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,140 MYR 4,626

$1,552 MYR 6,296

-26.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,223

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.37

-7.09%

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

Last update for Skudai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Skudai and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Skudai vs $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $273 per month, with Skudai 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

Skudai vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,391 in Skudai and $1,334 in Kuching to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Skudai versus $371 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 $25.00 versus $22.00 in Skudai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $928 per month in Skudai versus $889 in Kuching – a 4% 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 Skudai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Skudai 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 4% less than in Skudai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.