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: $953 in Tawau versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Tawau versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,831 in Tawau versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Tawau is roughly 7% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 31% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 MYR 12.90

$3.53 MYR 14.35

-10.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 MYR 78.9

$25.07 MYR 102

-22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.98

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-15.21%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.68

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-6.87%

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

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$0.80 MYR 3.24

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.39 MYR 1.57

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MYR 10.79

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-42.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-25.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.33

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-22.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.22 MYR 4.95

19.67%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.77

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 MYR 54.2

$11.49 MYR 46.74

15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$4.44 MYR 18.04

1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 MYR 39.03

$9.68 MYR 39.38

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.65

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.64

$1.33 MYR 5.43

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.03

$2.45 MYR 9.96

0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.95

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-8.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.15 MYR 4.69

6.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.55 MYR 2.25

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.16

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.5

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.61

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-33.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.63 MYR 2.58

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.38 MYR 46.30

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$0.96 MYR 3.90

30.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 MYR 34.12

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-5.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-15.29%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.3K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-0.29%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.0K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-5.62%

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

$49.61 MYR 202

$35.37 MYR 144

40.26%

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

$10.63 MYR 43.23

$10.29 MYR 41.88

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$24.25 MYR 98.7

18.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.98 MYR 175

$30.72 MYR 125

39.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.53 MYR 30.62

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-38.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.70 MYR 15.05

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-24.64%

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

$178 MYR 723

$135 MYR 551

31.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,269 MYR 17.4K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-40.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 MYR 232

$63.4 MYR 258

-9.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 MYR 164

$37.96 MYR 154

6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 MYR 383

$90.7 MYR 369

3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 MYR 273

$66.9 MYR 272

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,937

$371 MYR 1,510

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,413

$240 MYR 977

44.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 MYR 3,063

$648 MYR 2,635

16.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 MYR 2,271

$454 MYR 1,845

23.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,147 MYR 8,733

$2,112 MYR 8,593

1.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 MYR 5,099

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-19.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 MYR 1,678

$548 MYR 2,229

-24.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Tawau: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Tawau and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 33% 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 $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $273 per month, with Tawau cheaper across the board.

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 Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 33% 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: $476 in Tawau versus $371 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 $25.00 versus $19.00 in Tawau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $953 per month in Tawau versus $889 in Kuching – a 7% 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 7% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.