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: $862 in Penang versus $866 in Tawau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in Penang versus $1,306 in Tawau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Penang versus $1,747 in Tawau.

Monthly costs are close between Penang and Tawau; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 36% lower, Tawau 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.24

$3.60 MYR 14.22

-13.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 MYR 83.5

$19.22 MYR 75.9

9.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.27

$4.09 MYR 16.17

0.73%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.36

$2.26 MYR 8.92

27.43%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.75

$0.71 MYR 2.82

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.37 MYR 1.46

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$2.34 MYR 9.24

83.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$3.38 MYR 13.34

31.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.59 MYR 6.29

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.31 MYR 5.16

-21.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MYR 7.86

$1.69 MYR 6.68

17.75%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$2.13 MYR 8.40

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 MYR 68.4

$14.80 MYR 58.5

16.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.54

$4.27 MYR 16.85

15.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MYR 59.3

$9.68 MYR 38.22

55.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.90 MYR 11.46

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.46 MYR 5.77

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.38

$2.61 MYR 10.32

0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.44 MYR 5.67

45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.24 MYR 4.91

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.63

$1.28 MYR 5.06

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.59

$1.00 MYR 3.95

-9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.56 MYR 2.20

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 16.94

$4.19 MYR 16.53

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 76.7

$18.71 MYR 73.9

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.82

$2.72 MYR 10.73

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.39

$2.93 MYR 11.56

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.80

$0.74 MYR 2.91

-37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.53 MYR 69.3

$11.99 MYR 47.35

46.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.21 MYR 4.78

-38.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.03 MYR 4.09

-48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.46

$5.96 MYR 23.55

16.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-8.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

$35.8K MYR 141.5K

-6.53%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

-10.52%

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

$39.31 MYR 155

$42.76 MYR 169

-8.07%

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

$10.23 MYR 40.40

$9.03 MYR 35.68

13.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 MYR 123

$28.68 MYR 113

8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 MYR 131

$37.41 MYR 148

-11.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MYR 21.30

$5.79 MYR 22.87

-6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.01

$2.87 MYR 11.33

67.60%

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

$240 MYR 947

$186 MYR 735

28.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

$6,868 MYR 27.1K

-10.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 MYR 215

$60.7 MYR 240

-10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$27.49 MYR 109

5.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 239

$73.7 MYR 291

-18.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 208

$50.7 MYR 200

3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$381 MYR 1,506

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MYR 895

$272 MYR 1,075

-16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,524

$632 MYR 2,498

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 MYR 2,077

$468 MYR 1,849

12.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 MYR 9,153

$1,762 MYR 6,961

31.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 MYR 4,729

$963 MYR 3,804

24.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

$423 MYR 1,671

128.88%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tawau: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Penang and $381 in Tawau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 129% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

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 $254 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 pays 129% 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: $381 in Penang versus $381 in Tawau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Penang versus $186 in Tawau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

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

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.

It comes down to priorities – Penang wins on affordability, Tawau on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.