Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $865 in Tawau versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Tawau versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Tawau versus $1,901 in Penang.

Monthly costs are close between Tawau and Penang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tawau 36% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.72

$3.04 MYR 12.34

19.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 75.7

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-13.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-24.15%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.68 MYR 2.78

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.36 MYR 1.48

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MYR 9.29

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.75

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-23.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.49

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-11.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$0.99 MYR 4.00

32.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.83

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-17.24%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.29

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.2

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 MYR 17.27

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.33

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$2.87 MYR 11.66

4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.47 MYR 5.96

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.62

$2.57 MYR 10.43

1.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-34.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.05

$1.18 MYR 4.79

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.16 MYR 4.71

8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.95 MYR 3.87

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.49 MYR 1.97

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.02

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 77.5

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.17

$2.62 MYR 10.61

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-14.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.45 MYR 1.82

51.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-31.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.70

$0.69 MYR 2.80

68.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.21

$0.54 MYR 2.21

92.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.50

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-16.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.47 MYR 1.89

4.26%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

9.18%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

14.94%

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

$43.00 MYR 174

$38.60 MYR 157

11.40%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.21

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-11.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 MYR 119

$31.44 MYR 127

-6.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 MYR 147

$33.04 MYR 134

9.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.25

$5.42 MYR 21.97

5.72%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-40.94%

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

$187 MYR 757

$238 MYR 963

-21.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 242

$54.6 MYR 221

9.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 MYR 111

$28.39 MYR 115

-3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 298

$60.5 MYR 245

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MYR 205

$53.5 MYR 217

-5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$387 MYR 1,569

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,087

$230 MYR 933

16.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,609

$640 MYR 2,597

0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,897

$525 MYR 2,131

-10.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MYR 8,790

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-3.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 MYR 3,993

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-16.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 MYR 1,708

$951 MYR 3,858

-55.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Tawau: June 6, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Tawau and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 126% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19.00 in Tawau vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $287 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Penang earns 126% 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 $387 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $187 in Tawau versus $238 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tawau – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $22.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tawau gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

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

It comes down to priorities – Tawau wins on affordability, Penang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.