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: $802 in Kuching versus $865 in Tawau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $1,320 in Tawau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $1,776 in Tawau.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 7% less than in Tawau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Tawau 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$3.63 MYR 14.72

-23.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$18.66 MYR 75.7

8.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$4.06 MYR 16.46

18.47%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$2.23 MYR 9.03

13.45%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$2.29 MYR 9.29

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$3.39 MYR 13.75

6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.60 MYR 6.49

19.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.31 MYR 5.30

-16.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.68 MYR 6.83

-36.90%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.04 MYR 8.29

5.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$14.84 MYR 60.2

-36.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$4.26 MYR 17.27

-11.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$9.70 MYR 39.33

-17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.99 MYR 12.13

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.48 MYR 5.99

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.62 MYR 10.62

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$1.39 MYR 5.64

29.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.24 MYR 5.05

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$1.00 MYR 4.07

69.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.55 MYR 2.23

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.20 MYR 17.02

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$19.12 MYR 77.5

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$2.75 MYR 11.17

40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$2.91 MYR 11.82

17.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.68 MYR 2.76

-66.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.16 MYR 4.70

-19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.04 MYR 4.21

6.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$6.04 MYR 24.50

-69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.49 MYR 1.99

2.04%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

24.01%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

19.08%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$43.00 MYR 174

-4.09%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$8.93 MYR 36.21

-0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$29.39 MYR 119

-13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$36.21 MYR 147

-18.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$5.73 MYR 23.25

70.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$2.90 MYR 11.74

59.66%

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

$141 MYR 572

$187 MYR 757

-24.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

-13.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$59.7 MYR 242

10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$27.46 MYR 111

16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$73.5 MYR 298

16.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$50.5 MYR 205

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$391 MYR 1,584

-27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$268 MYR 1,087

-23.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$643 MYR 2,609

-13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$468 MYR 1,897

-17.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$2,168 MYR 8,790

-1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$985 MYR 3,993

55.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$421 MYR 1,708

31.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.07

4.91%

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

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $391 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $19.00 in Tawau. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $255, 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, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kuching pays 31% 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: $285 in Kuching versus $391 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 $20.00 versus $19.00 in Tawau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Kuching versus $865 in Tawau – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 8% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.