Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $953 per month in Tawau vs $855 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,392 per month in Tawau vs $1,389 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Tawau vs $1,923 in Da Nang, rent included.

Tawau costs about 12% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 31% lower, Da Nang 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 MYR 12.90

$2.33 ₫60.5K

36.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 MYR 78.9

$19.15 ₫496.2K

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.98

$4.49 ₫116.3K

-6.90%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.68

$1.78 ₫46.1K

75.28%

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

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$0.67 ₫17.4K

41.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.32 ₫8,264

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MYR 10.79

$1.32 ₫34.3K

100.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$2.34 ₫60.7K

93.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.33

$1.47 ₫38.2K

22.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$1.23 ₫32.0K

-17.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.06 ₫27.6K

37.74%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.77

$1.54 ₫39.9K

24.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 MYR 54.2

$13.10 ₫339.5K

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$4.08 ₫105.7K

10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 MYR 39.03

$9.19 ₫238.2K

4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.65

$2.59 ₫67.1K

20.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.64

$1.11 ₫28.7K

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.03

$1.29 ₫33.4K

90.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.95

$1.46 ₫37.9K

17.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.12 ₫29.0K

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.27 ₫32.9K

-3.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.01 ₫26.2K

24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.49 ₫12.6K

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.16

$1.49 ₫38.7K

199.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.5

$7.85 ₫203.4K

139.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$0.83 ₫21.6K

250.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.61

$2.19 ₫56.7K

52.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.34 ₫8,932

126.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.38 MYR 46.30

$4.90 ₫126.9K

132.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$1.03 ₫26.7K

21.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.61 ₫15.8K

-21.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 MYR 34.12

$19.51 ₫505.7K

-57.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.91 ₫23.6K

-20.88%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.3K

$31.2K ₫807.6M

35.90%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.0K

$27.7K ₫717.0M

25.33%

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

$49.61 MYR 202

$89.1 ₫2.3M

-44.34%

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

$10.63 MYR 43.23

$6.02 ₫156.0K

76.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$8.18 ₫211.9K

251.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.98 MYR 175

$22.12 ₫573.4K

94.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.53 MYR 30.62

$5.33 ₫138.3K

41.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.70 MYR 15.05

$3.12 ₫81.0K

18.59%

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

$178 MYR 723

$163 ₫4.2M

9.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,269 MYR 17.4K

$15.2K ₫394.2M

-71.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 MYR 232

$44.51 ₫1.2M

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 MYR 164

$28.06 ₫727.2K

43.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 MYR 383

$102 ₫2.6M

-7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 MYR 273

$82.8 ₫2.1M

-19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,937

$531 ₫13.8M

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,413

$341 ₫8.8M

1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 MYR 3,063

$1,044 ₫27.1M

-27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 MYR 2,271

$787 ₫20.4M

-29.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,147 MYR 8,733

$3,768 ₫97.7M

-43.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 MYR 5,099

$1,309 ₫33.9M

-4.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 MYR 1,678

$349 ₫9.1M

18.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.72

-60.82%

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

Last update for Tawau: September 6, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Tawau versus $531 in Da Nang. 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 18% higher in Tawau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Tawau vs $197 in Da Nang – so Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $953 in Tawau, $855 in Da Nang – roughly 12% apart. Tawau costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,430 per month in Tawau and $1,282 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% more in Tawau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $953 in Tawau and $855 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $855 in Da Nang to $953 in Tawau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Da Nang. 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.