Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Tawau Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Tawau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Penang versus $864 in Tawau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,365 in Penang versus $1,314 in Tawau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,888 in Penang versus $1,763 in Tawau.

Living in Penang costs roughly 3% less than in Tawau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 37% lower, Tawau 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.15

$3.49 MYR 14.18

-14.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 MYR 84.9

$18.57 MYR 75.5

12.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.22 MYR 17.14

$4.11 MYR 16.70

2.68%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.47

$2.32 MYR 9.44

21.55%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.73 MYR 2.96

1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.55

$2.37 MYR 9.63

82.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.30

$3.26 MYR 13.26

38.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.30

$1.56 MYR 6.34

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.37 MYR 5.56

-24.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.04

$1.74 MYR 7.06

13.79%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.74

$2.13 MYR 8.68

0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 MYR 70.0

$14.96 MYR 60.8

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.10

$4.43 MYR 18.00

17.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 MYR 61.0

$9.45 MYR 38.41

58.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.46 MYR 5.94

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.95

$2.48 MYR 10.07

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.62

$1.44 MYR 5.85

47.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$1.26 MYR 5.14

-3.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.91

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.52 MYR 2.11

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.52

$4.18 MYR 17.01

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 MYR 79.1

$19.33 MYR 78.6

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.05

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MYR 13.94

$2.88 MYR 11.72

19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.56 MYR 71.4

$11.64 MYR 47.30

50.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$1.21 MYR 4.94

-39.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.03 MYR 4.20

-51.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 MYR 28.17

$6.06 MYR 24.63

14.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.46 MYR 1.87

6.52%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.1K

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

-5.99%

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

$28.0K MYR 113.7K

$31.6K MYR 128.3K

-11.38%

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

$38.47 MYR 156

$43.14 MYR 175

-10.83%

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

$10.26 MYR 41.71

$9.33 MYR 37.95

9.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.49 MYR 128

$29.44 MYR 120

6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.02 MYR 134

$36.66 MYR 149

-9.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.54 MYR 22.51

$5.96 MYR 24.23

-7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.66

$2.75 MYR 11.18

76.00%

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

$239 MYR 973

$191 MYR 776

25.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,099 MYR 24.8K

$6,830 MYR 27.8K

-10.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$60.0 MYR 244

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 MYR 118

$27.79 MYR 113

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 MYR 250

$71.7 MYR 291

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 MYR 216

$50.7 MYR 206

4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,584

$390 MYR 1,586

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 901

$272 MYR 1,106

-18.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,660

$637 MYR 2,591

2.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,137

$466 MYR 1,896

12.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,238 MYR 9,097

$1,845 MYR 7,498

21.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,178 MYR 4,787

$844 MYR 3,432

39.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 MYR 3,811

$426 MYR 1,732

120.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.07

2.21%

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

Last update for Penang: June 14, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Penang and $390 in Tawau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 120% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Penang vs $19.00 in Tawau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $256 per month, with Tawau cheaper across the board.

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

Penang vs Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Penang pays 120% 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: $390 in Penang versus $390 in Tawau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Tawau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Penang versus $864 in Tawau – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $843 in Penang versus $864 in Tawau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Tawau. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang 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, Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.