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 $868 per month in Tawau vs $718 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Tawau vs $1,103 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Tawau vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.

Tawau costs about 21% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tawau and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 35% lower, Da Nang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$1.97 ₫51.6K

76.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 74.5

$18.89 ₫495.8K

-0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.41

$4.69 ₫123.0K

-11.51%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.83

$1.57 ₫41.3K

42.68%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.53 ₫13.9K

37.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.31 ₫8,217

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.26

$1.04 ₫27.2K

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 12.81

$1.68 ₫44.0K

92.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$1.42 ₫37.2K

7.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.43

$0.93 ₫24.4K

47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$1.16 ₫30.3K

43.97%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.16

$1.42 ₫37.2K

45.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.0

$12.55 ₫329.5K

20.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.71

$3.80 ₫99.7K

11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 38.06

$10.03 ₫263.1K

-3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.20

$2.61 ₫68.4K

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$0.97 ₫25.5K

56.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.94

$1.08 ₫28.3K

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.05 ₫27.6K

31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.85

$1.11 ₫29.0K

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.21 ₫31.7K

6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.05 ₫27.5K

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.48 ₫12.6K

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$1.37 ₫35.9K

217.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.1

$7.52 ₫197.2K

155.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.00

$0.79 ₫20.8K

253.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$1.57 ₫41.3K

84.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.32 ₫8,385

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 MYR 46.93

$3.81 ₫99.9K

211.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.89 ₫23.5K

29.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.69 ₫18.2K

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.44

$11.82 ₫310.3K

-49.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.90 ₫23.5K

-48.89%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

$27.3K ₫716.8M

28.88%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$28.7K ₫753.6M

10.51%

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

$43.44 MYR 172

$76.0 ₫2.0M

-42.84%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.46

$5.97 ₫156.8K

54.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 MYR 117

$8.14 ₫213.5K

262.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$19.79 ₫519.5K

87.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.61

$7.47 ₫195.9K

-19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$2.98 ₫78.2K

-5.37%

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

$184 MYR 727

$155 ₫4.1M

18.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

$12.9K ₫337.4M

-46.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 244

$39.96 ₫1.0M

54.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 MYR 110

$25.51 ₫669.5K

9.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 290

$52.6 ₫1.4M

39.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MYR 203

$76.8 ₫2.0M

-32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$352 ₫9.2M

11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$244 ₫6.4M

11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,529

$721 ₫18.9M

-11.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,837

$460 ₫12.1M

1.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,911 MYR 7,550

$3,748 ₫98.4M

-49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,586

$1,264 ₫33.2M

-28.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 MYR 1,714

$333 ₫8.7M

30.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

10.67

-61.86%

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

Last update for Tawau: April 21, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Tawau versus $352 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 30% 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 in Tawau versus $19 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Tawau vs $187 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: $868 in Tawau, $718 in Da Nang – roughly 21% apart. Tawau costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,302 per month in Tawau and $1,078 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 37% 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 $868 in Tawau and $718 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 $718 in Da Nang to $868 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.