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 $868 per month in Tawau vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Tawau vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Tawau vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tawau costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 35% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$1.95 ฿62.8

77.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 74.5

$18.43 ฿594

2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.41

$7.50 ฿241

-44.67%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.83

$1.93 ฿62.3

16.06%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.78 ฿25.08

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.32 ฿10.42

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.26

$2.15 ฿69.2

8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 12.81

$3.71 ฿120

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$1.71 ฿55.2

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.43

$1.56 ฿50.3

-12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$1.18 ฿38.06

41.53%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.16

$1.98 ฿63.9

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.0

$16.04 ฿517

-5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.71

$3.17 ฿102

33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 38.06

$10.94 ฿353

-11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.20

$2.63 ฿84.7

7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.17 ฿37.61

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.94

$1.65 ฿53.0

52.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.54 ฿49.51

-10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.85

$1.38 ฿44.34

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.17 ฿37.54

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.66 ฿21.25

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.51 ฿16.55

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.52 ฿146

-3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.1

$18.32 ฿590

5.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.00

$1.80 ฿57.9

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$3.18 ฿102

-9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.90 ฿28.97

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 MYR 46.93

$19.00 ฿612

-37.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.41 ฿45.50

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.31 ฿42.15

-22.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.44

$8.09 ฿261

-26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$1.28 ฿41.08

-64.06%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

65.30%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

46.19%

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

$43.44 MYR 172

$69.2 ฿2,230

-37.23%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.46

$13.97 ฿450

-33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 MYR 117

$17.95 ฿578

64.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$42.31 ฿1,363

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.61

$6.66 ฿214

-10.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$5.92 ฿191

-52.36%

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

$184 MYR 727

$299 ฿9,640

-38.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 244

$56.2 ฿1,810

9.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 MYR 110

$26.94 ฿868

3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 290

$84.9 ฿2,735

-13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MYR 203

$71.8 ฿2,314

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$435 ฿14.0K

-9.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$240 ฿7,727

13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,529

$798 ฿25.7K

-19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,837

$498 ฿16.1K

-6.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,911 MYR 7,550

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-4.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,586

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-40.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 MYR 1,714

$628 ฿20.2K

-30.91%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Tawau versus $435 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 45% 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 in Tawau versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,302 per month in Tawau and $1,267 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 $184 per month in Tawau and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $868 in Tawau and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $868 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.