Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Kuching are 9.1% lower than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Kuching are 18.7% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Rent Prices in Kuching are 48.3% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kuching are 37.3% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Kuching are 6.1% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Kuching is 56.0% 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 | 143.09 RM | 60.00 RM | -58.1 % |
| 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) | 12.85 RM | 11.38 RM | -11.5 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.61 RM | 3.20 RM | -11.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.19 RM | 1.65 RM | -24.7 % |
Markets | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 30.19 RM | 24.55 RM | -18.7 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.78 RM | 3.91 RM | +3.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.92 RM | 2.05 RM | -29.7 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 9.30 RM | 7.92 RM | -14.9 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 27.42 RM | 27.53 RM | +0.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 9.05 RM | 6.56 RM | -27.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 20.82 RM | 14.17 RM | -32.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.30 RM | 5.98 RM | +12.8 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 2.89 RM | 2.35 RM | -18.6 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.33 RM | 5.62 RM | +5.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 3.02 RM | 3.26 RM | +7.8 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.01 RM | 1.43 RM | -29.1 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.95 RM | 2.25 RM | +15.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 4.55 RM | 6.54 RM | +43.6 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 3.00 RM | 2.95 RM | -1.7 % |
| 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 | -0.1 % |
| 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) | 135,022.10 RM | 155,666.67 RM | +15.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 272.91 RM | 192.43 RM | -29.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 50.02 RM | 40.00 RM | -20.0 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 118.73 RM | 128.00 RM | +7.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 207.80 RM | 160.00 RM | -23.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 35.42 RM | 50.00 RM | +41.2 % |
| 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 | 1,045.83 RM | 576.67 RM | -44.9 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 32,333.33 RM | 21,750.00 RM | -32.7 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 228.38 RM | 322.67 RM | +41.3 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 148.22 RM | 208.67 RM | +40.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 328.36 RM | 350.33 RM | +6.7 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 302.80 RM | 306.67 RM | +1.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,435.53 RM | 1,210.00 RM | -50.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,669.57 RM | 741.67 RM | -55.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,717.86 RM | 2,316.67 RM | -50.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,666.00 RM | 1,666.67 RM | -37.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,091.49 RM | 698.08 RM | -36.0 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 531.38 RM | 502.95 RM | -5.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kuching Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 6,070.21 RM | 2,171.43 RM | -64.2 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.21 | 4.14 | -1.7 % |
| Last update: | April 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 292 | 21 |
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