Find your feet in Kuching
Insider knowledge for anyone new to Kuching — honest, practical, and here to help you settle in and make the most of your stay, whether that’s two years or twenty.
Where to live, which school, and all the everyday stuff in between — the things every newcomer wrestles with. We were once new here ourselves, so we share how life in Kuching has really gone for us, to help you picture your own.
Whatever brought you here, we hope your time is full of good memories. From what we’ve seen, a couple of situations come up again and again — maybe one of them sounds like yours.
From what we’ve seen, it often starts with one parent landing a job in Kuching. The family follows — and then comes school. For most foreign families, an international school turns out to be the simplest fit, with no Malay to catch up on.
Others arrive looking for a gentler pace — a second base, or a place to retire near the rainforest. We’re still learning this path ourselves, so we’ll just share what we’ve gathered, honestly.
Here for some other reason entirely? Read how other expats found their way →
These come from our own life here, plus what the local surveys say. Move the dials to picture a month that looks more like yours.
tap “Adjust” and make it yours →
Cost from DOSM’s 2024 Sarawak survey + local notes. Tap “Adjust” to build your own month.
In 2016, my wife and I gave up the lives we’d built — her child-minding business, my path to becoming a psychologist — and moved to Kuching to be closer to her family. She took over the family business; I found my way into digital marketing. We never planned to stay this long. We’re glad we did.
Tell us roughly where you’re at, and we’ll share whatever we’ve written that might help.
Everything here comes from our own life in Kuching — what we’ve paid, loved, and slowly worked out. We hope it makes your move a little easier.