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: $865 in Tawau versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Tawau versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Tawau versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in Tawau is roughly 8% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 36% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.72

$2.76 MYR 11.19

31.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 75.7

$20.32 MYR 82.4

-8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$4.81 MYR 19.51

-15.59%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$2.53 MYR 10.26

-11.86%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.76 MYR 3.07

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.29 MYR 1.19

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MYR 9.29

$2.78 MYR 11.27

-17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.75

$3.61 MYR 14.63

-6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.49

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-16.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.09 MYR 4.44

20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.83

$1.06 MYR 4.28

58.49%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.29

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.2

$9.37 MYR 38.01

58.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 MYR 17.27

$3.79 MYR 15.36

12.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.33

$8.01 MYR 32.49

21.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$2.99 MYR 12.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.14 MYR 4.63

29.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.62

$2.59 MYR 10.48

1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-22.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.05

$1.11 MYR 4.50

11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.24 MYR 5.01

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.53 MYR 2.13

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.02

$4.19 MYR 17.00

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 77.5

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.17

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-14.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.23 MYR 0.93

195.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.92 MYR 48.32

0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.70

$0.93 MYR 3.76

24.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.21

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-6.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.50

$1.84 MYR 7.45

228.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-2.00%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-19.36%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-16.02%

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

$43.00 MYR 174

$41.24 MYR 167

4.27%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.21

$8.92 MYR 36.16

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 MYR 119

$25.42 MYR 103

15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 MYR 147

$29.51 MYR 120

22.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.25

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$4.63 MYR 18.77

-37.37%

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

$187 MYR 757

$141 MYR 572

32.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 242

$65.8 MYR 267

-9.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 MYR 111

$31.99 MYR 130

-14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 298

$85.9 MYR 348

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MYR 205

$71.5 MYR 290

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$285 MYR 1,156

37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,087

$205 MYR 830

31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,609

$556 MYR 2,255

15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,897

$386 MYR 1,566

21.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MYR 8,790

$2,144 MYR 8,692

1.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 MYR 3,993

$1,535 MYR 6,224

-35.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 MYR 1,708

$552 MYR 2,239

-23.69%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Tawau and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 31% 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 $255 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 31% 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: $391 in Tawau versus $285 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 $865 per month in Tawau versus $802 in Kuching – a 8% 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 8% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.