Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $858 in Tawau versus $777 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Tawau versus $1,228 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Tawau versus $1,678 in Kuching.

Living in Tawau is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 36% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.68

$2.80 MYR 11.43

28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 MYR 76.1

$20.41 MYR 83.4

-8.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.50

$4.59 MYR 18.77

-11.98%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.24

$2.58 MYR 10.53

-12.40%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.71 MYR 2.90

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.30 MYR 1.21

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.84

$2.88 MYR 11.77

-16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.42

$3.74 MYR 15.29

-12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.38

$1.08 MYR 4.42

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.05 MYR 4.31

60.00%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.42

$2.19 MYR 8.95

-5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$9.58 MYR 39.17

54.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.20

$3.84 MYR 15.71

15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 MYR 37.40

$8.22 MYR 33.60

11.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.99

$2.98 MYR 12.19

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.24

$1.15 MYR 4.69

33.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.16

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-5.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$1.77 MYR 7.24

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.15 MYR 4.71

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.24 MYR 5.08

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-41.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$0.52 MYR 2.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.45

$4.19 MYR 17.12

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 MYR 74.8

$20.46 MYR 83.6

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.28

$3.88 MYR 15.86

-28.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$3.41 MYR 13.93

-14.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.23 MYR 0.94

204.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 48.79

$11.80 MYR 48.21

1.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.96 MYR 3.94

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-12.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.44

$1.90 MYR 7.78

214.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

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

$34.7K MYR 141.7K

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

-24.46%

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

$31.6K MYR 129.3K

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

-15.06%

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

$44.32 MYR 181

$41.82 MYR 171

5.98%

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

$8.87 MYR 36.26

$9.22 MYR 37.70

-3.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 118

$25.53 MYR 104

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.32 MYR 148

$29.85 MYR 122

21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.62

$9.81 MYR 40.08

-41.08%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 MYR 11.37

$4.64 MYR 18.94

-40.09%

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

$186 MYR 758

$143 MYR 586

29.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

10.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$66.3 MYR 271

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$31.34 MYR 128

-14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 MYR 294

$87.5 MYR 358

-17.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 MYR 206

$71.7 MYR 293

-29.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,602

$284 MYR 1,160

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,111

$201 MYR 820

35.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,654

$569 MYR 2,326

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,912

$387 MYR 1,583

20.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MYR 9,206

$2,088 MYR 8,535

7.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MYR 5,097

$1,510 MYR 6,172

-17.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,717

$530 MYR 2,167

-20.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.27

-4.68%

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

Last update for Tawau: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Tawau and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Tawau vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $243, with Kuching cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Kuching. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $392 in Tawau versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $19.00 in Tawau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $858 per month in Tawau versus $777 in Kuching – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tawau, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tawau and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.