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: $868 in Tawau versus $799 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Tawau versus $1,238 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Tawau versus $1,677 in Kuching.

Living in Tawau is roughly 9% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 35% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$2.89 MYR 11.42

20.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 74.5

$20.23 MYR 79.9

-6.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.41

$4.76 MYR 18.81

-12.82%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.83

$2.57 MYR 10.15

-12.84%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.71 MYR 2.81

2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.30 MYR 1.17

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.26

$2.75 MYR 10.87

-14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 12.81

$3.58 MYR 14.13

-9.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$1.94 MYR 7.68

-21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.43

$1.12 MYR 4.44

22.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$1.07 MYR 4.21

56.07%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.16

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.0

$9.35 MYR 36.93

62.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.71

$3.74 MYR 14.76

13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 38.06

$8.02 MYR 31.69

20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.20

$3.07 MYR 12.12

-7.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.11 MYR 4.37

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.94

$2.53 MYR 9.99

-0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.77 MYR 6.98

-22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.85

$1.15 MYR 4.56

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.20 MYR 4.72

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.67 MYR 6.60

-37.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.52 MYR 2.07

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.17 MYR 16.47

4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.1

$21.61 MYR 85.4

-10.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.00

$3.84 MYR 15.15

-27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$3.51 MYR 13.87

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.23 MYR 0.90

213.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 MYR 46.93

$11.59 MYR 45.77

2.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.09 MYR 4.32

-6.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.44

$1.85 MYR 7.31

220.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.47 MYR 1.84

-2.13%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

$44.7K MYR 176.5K

-21.22%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$37.3K MYR 147.3K

-14.89%

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

$43.44 MYR 172

$42.29 MYR 167

2.72%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.46

$8.83 MYR 34.86

4.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 MYR 117

$25.43 MYR 100

16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$29.59 MYR 117

25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.61

$9.61 MYR 37.95

-37.77%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$4.67 MYR 18.46

-39.61%

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

$184 MYR 727

$141 MYR 559

30.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

$6,132 MYR 24.2K

11.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 244

$65.0 MYR 257

-5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 MYR 110

$32.44 MYR 128

-14.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 290

$86.6 MYR 342

-15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MYR 203

$73.0 MYR 288

-29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$279 MYR 1,103

40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$203 MYR 802

34.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,529

$564 MYR 2,227

13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,837

$392 MYR 1,548

18.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,911 MYR 7,550

$2,160 MYR 8,534

-11.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,586

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-41.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 MYR 1,714

$555 MYR 2,192

-21.77%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Tawau and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Tawau vs $20 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $244, 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 28% less. 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: $393 in Tawau versus $279 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 $868 per month in Tawau versus $799 in Kuching – a 9% 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 9% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.