Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $428 a month against $888 in Tawau, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Tawau
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Tawau Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index

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Tawau

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$888

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tawau and in Dhaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tawau and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Tawau versus $428 in Dhaka.

Tawau $888
Dhaka $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Tawau versus $724 in Dhaka.

Tawau $1,354
Dhaka $724

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Tawau versus $1,019 in Dhaka.

Tawau $1,820
Dhaka $1,019

Living in Tawau is roughly 107% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 34% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.80

$2.50 ৳309

25.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 MYR 78.4

$13.26 ৳1,638

44.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 MYR 17.19

$4.99 ৳616

-15.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 ৳602

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ৳511

Cappuccino

$3.15 MYR 12.86

$2.35 ৳291

34.04%

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

$0.95 MYR 3.86

$0.33 ৳41.07

187.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$0.16 ৳19.62

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MYR 10.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.10

$0.85 ৳105

104.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$0.63 ৳77.9

58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.06

$0.67 ৳83.1

122.39%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$1.19 ৳147

81.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.36 MYR 58.6

$8.83 ৳1,092

62.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

$3.30 ৳408

31.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 40.10

$6.41 ৳792

53.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.41

$2.75 ৳340

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$0.94 ৳116

77.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.13

$2.37 ৳293

4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$0.64 ৳79.1

132.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.32

$0.26 ৳32.25

403.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$0.49 ৳60.6

146.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$0.30 ৳37.63

256.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.30 ৳37.49

90.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 ৳1,512

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.43 ৳671

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 ৳807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MYR 18.30

$3.17 ৳392

41.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.05 MYR 77.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MYR 20.32

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.38 ৳47.44

84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.41 MYR 50.6

$23.06 ৳2,849

-46.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.11

$1.17 ৳145

6.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.38 ৳46.99

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.49

$3.28 ৳405

112.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.57

$1.11 ৳137

-21.62%

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

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

$29.1K ৳3.6M

72.41%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$32.9K ৳4.1M

9.40%

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

$49.37 MYR 201

$46.77 ৳5,779

5.56%

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

$10.55 MYR 43.02

$4.51 ৳557

133.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.74 MYR 117

$11.22 ৳1,387

156.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.34 MYR 177

$16.43 ৳2,031

163.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 MYR 27.83

$14.87 ৳1,838

-54.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 MYR 15.39

$4.20 ৳519

-10.24%

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

$183 MYR 746

$91.6 ৳11.3K

99.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,623 MYR 31.1K

$2,596 ৳320.8K

193.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 MYR 240

$16.63 ৳2,055

253.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.06 MYR 135

$19.80 ৳2,447

66.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 MYR 303

$46.87 ৳5,791

58.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 MYR 360

$37.00 ৳4,572

138.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,578

$148 ৳18.2K

162.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 1,030

$70.8 ৳8,743

256.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 MYR 2,433

$432 ৳53.4K

37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 MYR 1,823

$213 ৳26.3K

110.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,936 MYR 7,900

$1,605 ৳198.4K

20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,216 MYR 4,962

$751 ৳92.8K

62.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 MYR 1,707

$245 ৳30.3K

70.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.67

-61.95%

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

Last update for Tawau: October 17, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tawau

$260 29.2%

Dhaka

$123 28.8% 52.5% $136

Accommodation & Living

Tawau

$253 28.4%

Dhaka

$71 16.5% 72% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Tawau

$114 12.9%

Dhaka

$54 12.6% 52.7% $60

Eating Out

Tawau

$103 11.6%

Dhaka

$65 15.2% 36.8% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tawau

$89 10%

Dhaka

$63 14.6% 29.5% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Tawau

$51 5.7%

Dhaka

$25 5.8% 51.2% $26

Getting Around

Tawau

$19 2.1%

Dhaka

$28 6.5% 46.7% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Tawau and $148 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tawau pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Tawau vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Tawau

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

03:58 3:58 AM

01:58 1:58 AM

2 h behind Tawau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

420,806

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tawau Dhaka 3,660 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Tawau
Dhaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Tawau, 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: $387 in Tawau versus $148 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $888 per month in Tawau versus $428 in Dhaka – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 86% less than in Tawau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tawau and Dhaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.