Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Subang Jaya versus $774 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Subang Jaya versus $1,217 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Subang Jaya versus $1,660 in Kuching.

Living in Subang Jaya is roughly 23% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Subang Jaya 29% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.36

$2.84 MYR 11.35

26.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MYR 74.4

$20.23 MYR 80.7

-7.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.49

$4.63 MYR 18.46

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 11.83

$2.44 MYR 9.74

21.31%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.20

$0.69 MYR 2.77

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.81

$0.32 MYR 1.28

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 MYR 18.50

$2.76 MYR 11.02

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 MYR 26.39

$3.56 MYR 14.22

85.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.13

$1.91 MYR 7.60

-6.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.75

$1.12 MYR 4.48

-16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.73

$1.03 MYR 4.11

39.81%

Eggs

$2.09 MYR 8.35

$2.17 MYR 8.66

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.83 MYR 59.2

$9.74 MYR 38.87

52.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.61

$3.90 MYR 15.55

19.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 40.08

$8.04 MYR 32.07

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.95

$3.11 MYR 12.43

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.19

$1.11 MYR 4.42

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.50

$2.58 MYR 10.29

1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.09

$1.78 MYR 7.08

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.90

$1.14 MYR 4.55

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.53

$1.17 MYR 4.69

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.67

$1.74 MYR 6.92

-32.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.53 MYR 2.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.86

$4.14 MYR 16.52

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.44 MYR 77.6

$21.39 MYR 85.3

-9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.12

$3.87 MYR 15.44

-27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 11.82

$3.50 MYR 13.98

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.52 MYR 69.9

$11.64 MYR 46.43

50.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.79

$0.91 MYR 3.62

31.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.02

$1.14 MYR 4.56

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MYR 18.71

$1.83 MYR 7.32

156.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.87

$0.49 MYR 1.96

-4.08%

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

$35.3K MYR 140.9K

$45.0K MYR 179.5K

-21.54%

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

$33.4K MYR 133.4K

$36.0K MYR 143.8K

-7.24%

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

$45.16 MYR 180

$41.77 MYR 167

8.12%

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

$11.51 MYR 45.93

$8.95 MYR 35.73

28.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.09 MYR 120

$25.07 MYR 100

20.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 MYR 93.4

$29.40 MYR 117

-20.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.41 MYR 9.60

$9.60 MYR 38.32

-74.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.21

$4.73 MYR 18.88

1.69%

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

$187 MYR 745

$143 MYR 572

30.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,041 MYR 28.1K

$6,074 MYR 24.2K

15.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 239

$65.9 MYR 263

-9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.66 MYR 74.5

$31.95 MYR 127

-41.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 331

$85.9 MYR 343

-3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.69 MYR 158

$73.0 MYR 291

-45.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,014

$276 MYR 1,100

83.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,300

$201 MYR 803

61.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 MYR 2,488

$566 MYR 2,257

10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,901

$387 MYR 1,545

23.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,938 MYR 7,731

$2,159 MYR 8,614

-10.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$961 MYR 3,836

$1,568 MYR 6,258

-38.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 MYR 3,735

$555 MYR 2,214

68.67%

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 Subang Jaya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Subang Jaya and $276 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Subang Jaya pays 69% 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: $19.00 in Subang Jaya vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $246, with Kuching 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

Subang Jaya vs Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Subang Jaya pays 69% 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: $505 in Subang Jaya 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 $19.00 in Subang Jaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $948 per month in Subang Jaya versus $774 in Kuching – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $948 in Subang Jaya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Subang Jaya. 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 Subang Jaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Subang Jaya 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 23% less than in Subang Jaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.