Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Kuching is 9.0% lower than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Kuching is 18.3% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Rent Prices in Kuching are 47.5% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kuching are 36.9% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Kuching are 5.8% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Kuching is 56.5% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
Restaurants | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 19.79 RM | 12.00 RM | -39.4 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 140.57 RM | 60.00 RM | -57.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 20.00 RM | 20.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 16.00 RM | 12.00 RM | -25.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 25.00 RM | 15.50 RM | -38.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 12.95 RM | 11.38 RM | -12.2 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.49 RM | 3.20 RM | -8.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.15 RM | 1.65 RM | -23.2 % |
Markets | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 30.14 RM | 24.55 RM | -18.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.77 RM | 3.91 RM | +3.7 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.94 RM | 2.05 RM | -30.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 9.16 RM | 7.92 RM | -13.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 27.42 RM | 27.53 RM | +0.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 9.16 RM | 6.56 RM | -28.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 20.18 RM | 14.17 RM | -29.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.38 RM | 5.98 RM | +11.1 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 2.91 RM | 2.35 RM | -19.1 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.33 RM | 5.62 RM | +5.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 3.03 RM | 3.26 RM | +7.6 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.01 RM | 1.43 RM | -29.1 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.94 RM | 2.25 RM | +15.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 4.55 RM | 6.54 RM | +43.6 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 3.02 RM | 2.95 RM | -2.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 70.00 RM | 100.00 RM | +42.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 13.84 RM | 9.04 RM | -34.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 18.92 RM | 14.00 RM | -26.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 18.00 RM | 18.00 RM | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 RM | 1.00 RM | -66.7 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 50.00 RM | 30.00 RM | -40.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 5.00 RM | 4.00 RM | -20.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 8.05 RM | 6.44 RM | -20.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 15.00 RM | 8.00 RM | -46.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.77 RM | 7.77 RM | -0.0 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 160,000.00 RM | 192,500.00 RM | +20.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 135,702.91 RM | 155,666.67 RM | +14.7 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 278.24 RM | 192.43 RM | -30.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 50.61 RM | 40.00 RM | -21.0 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 118.48 RM | 128.00 RM | +8.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 206.21 RM | 160.00 RM | -22.4 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 34.62 RM | 50.00 RM | +44.4 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 20.00 RM | 20.00 RM | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,054.17 RM | 576.67 RM | -45.3 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 34,863.64 RM | 21,750.00 RM | -37.6 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 234.19 RM | 322.67 RM | +37.8 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 152.86 RM | 208.67 RM | +36.5 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 324.41 RM | 350.33 RM | +8.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 307.08 RM | 306.67 RM | -0.1 % |
Rent Per Month | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,374.00 RM | 1,210.00 RM | -49.0 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,607.69 RM | 741.67 RM | -53.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,641.38 RM | 2,316.67 RM | -50.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,678.85 RM | 1,666.67 RM | -37.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,096.28 RM | 698.08 RM | -36.3 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 535.66 RM | 502.95 RM | -6.1 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 6,113.35 RM | 2,171.43 RM | -64.5 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.28 | 4.14 | -3.4 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 288 | 21 |
Moving to Kuching? Explore:
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