Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $858 per month in Tawau vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Tawau vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Tawau vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tawau costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tawau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 36% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.68

$2.04 ฿68.4

75.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 MYR 76.1

$18.71 ฿626

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.50

$7.86 ฿263

-48.60%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.24

$2.03 ฿67.9

11.33%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.80 ฿26.71

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.35 ฿11.71

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.84

$2.14 ฿71.7

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.42

$3.67 ฿123

-10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$1.73 ฿57.8

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.38

$1.57 ฿52.5

-15.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.20 ฿40.10

40.00%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.42

$1.97 ฿66.0

4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$16.23 ฿543

-8.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.20

$3.06 ฿102

45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 MYR 37.40

$10.80 ฿361

-15.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$2.77 ฿92.6

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$1.17 ฿39.05

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.16

$1.71 ฿57.1

45.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$1.59 ฿53.3

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.39 ฿46.63

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.16 ฿38.67

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.66 ฿22.11

51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$0.52 ฿17.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.45

$4.65 ฿155

-8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 MYR 74.8

$17.78 ฿595

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.28

$1.79 ฿59.8

54.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$3.34 ฿112

-13.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.91 ฿30.35

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 48.79

$18.64 ฿624

-35.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.41 ฿47.17

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.34 ฿44.82

-26.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.44

$8.11 ฿271

-26.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.23 ฿41.27

-59.35%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.7K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

61.78%

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

$31.6K MYR 129.3K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

44.96%

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

$44.32 MYR 181

$71.3 ฿2,386

-37.87%

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

$8.87 MYR 36.26

$14.01 ฿469

-36.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 118

$17.93 ฿600

60.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.32 MYR 148

$40.82 ฿1,365

-11.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.62

$6.88 ฿230

-15.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 MYR 11.37

$5.72 ฿191

-51.40%

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

$186 MYR 758

$308 ฿10.3K

-39.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-53.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$55.8 ฿1,865

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$26.04 ฿871

3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 MYR 294

$84.8 ฿2,837

-15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 MYR 206

$71.0 ฿2,375

-28.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,602

$423 ฿14.2K

-7.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,111

$242 ฿8,110

12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,654

$797 ฿26.7K

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,912

$507 ฿17.0K

-7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MYR 9,206

$1,918 ฿64.2K

17.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MYR 5,097

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-14.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,717

$595 ฿19.9K

-29.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

-18.60%

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

Last update for Tawau: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Tawau versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Tawau vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Tawau vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tawau costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,287 per month in Tawau and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Tawau and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Tawau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $858 in Tawau and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $858 in Tawau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tawau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.