Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Tawau Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Tawau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $857 in Kuching versus $980 in Tawau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Kuching versus $1,421 in Tawau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,845 in Kuching versus $1,863 in Tawau.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 13% less than in Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 37% lower, Tawau 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.90

$3.24 MYR 13.08

6.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.44 MYR 98.7

$19.53 MYR 78.9

25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.47

$4.23 MYR 17.08

13.95%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MYR 13.19

$3.09 MYR 12.48

5.83%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.26

$1.03 MYR 4.15

-21.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.36 MYR 1.44

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 MYR 19.45

$2.63 MYR 10.64

82.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.98

$4.76 MYR 19.23

3.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 MYR 9.07

$1.91 MYR 7.73

17.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 MYR 4.76

$1.22 MYR 4.91

-3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.48 MYR 5.99

-18.24%

Eggs

$2.52 MYR 10.17

$1.77 MYR 7.15

42.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 MYR 41.62

$16.18 MYR 65.4

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 MYR 18.08

$4.50 MYR 18.20

-0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MYR 36.50

$9.60 MYR 38.77

-5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MYR 12.64

$2.55 MYR 10.29

22.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.49

$1.58 MYR 6.37

-13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.78

$2.76 MYR 11.16

-3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.27

$1.72 MYR 6.94

4.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.64

$1.43 MYR 5.77

-2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.31

$1.11 MYR 4.47

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MYR 6.33

$1.19 MYR 4.81

31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.57 MYR 2.28

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.80

$4.56 MYR 18.43

-3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.72 MYR 83.7

$18.90 MYR 76.3

9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.46

$2.86 MYR 11.55

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.18

$3.90 MYR 15.76

2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.78 MYR 3.13

-24.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.33 MYR 49.81

$12.70 MYR 51.3

-2.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.26 MYR 5.08

-10.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 MYR 4.88

$0.48 MYR 1.95

152.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 MYR 34.59

$8.49 MYR 34.29

0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MYR 3.34

$0.72 MYR 2.92

15.28%

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

$41.7K MYR 168.4K

$36.9K MYR 149.2K

12.93%

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

$36.4K MYR 146.9K

$34.3K MYR 138.4K

6.13%

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

$36.00 MYR 145

$50.7 MYR 205

-29.02%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.86

$10.61 MYR 42.86

-4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 MYR 97.9

$29.17 MYR 118

-16.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 MYR 120

$43.89 MYR 177

-32.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 MYR 49.17

$8.11 MYR 32.75

50.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MYR 19.48

$3.67 MYR 14.85

31.34%

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

$136 MYR 548

$171 MYR 692

-20.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,069 MYR 28.6K

$4,971 MYR 20.1K

42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 MYR 254

$65.7 MYR 266

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.16 MYR 154

$30.94 MYR 125

23.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 MYR 363

$70.3 MYR 284

27.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 MYR 263

$59.8 MYR 242

8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 MYR 1,459

$435 MYR 1,759

-17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MYR 966

$338 MYR 1,367

-29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,603

$666 MYR 2,690

-3.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,865

$469 MYR 1,896

-1.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,345

$1,855 MYR 7,494

11.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 MYR 6,067

$966 MYR 3,902

55.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,212

$419 MYR 1,694

30.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.22

3.55%

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

Last update for Kuching: August 17, 2026

Last update for Tawau: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Kuching and $435 in Tawau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kuching vs $20.00 in Tawau. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $264, 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

Kuching vs Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Kuching, 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: $361 in Kuching versus $435 in Tawau. 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 $24.00 versus $20.00 in Tawau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $857 per month in Kuching versus $980 in Tawau – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $857 in Kuching versus $980 in Tawau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Tawau. 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 Tawau, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching and Tawau 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 14% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.