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: $868 in Tawau versus $854 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Tawau versus $1,396 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Tawau versus $1,938 in Penang.

Living in Tawau is roughly 2% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$3.03 MYR 11.97

14.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 74.5

$21.23 MYR 83.9

-11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.41

$4.12 MYR 16.28

0.73%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 8.83

$2.95 MYR 11.64

-24.07%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.72 MYR 2.86

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.34 MYR 1.33

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.26

$4.46 MYR 17.63

-47.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 12.81

$4.52 MYR 17.87

-28.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$1.84 MYR 7.26

-16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.43

$1.02 MYR 4.04

34.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$2.02 MYR 7.99

-17.33%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.16

$2.11 MYR 8.32

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.0

$16.98 MYR 67.1

-10.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.71

$5.17 MYR 20.41

-18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 38.06

$14.61 MYR 57.7

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.20

$2.93 MYR 11.56

-3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.45 MYR 5.73

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.94

$2.68 MYR 10.57

-5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-36.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.85

$1.15 MYR 4.53

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.22 MYR 4.83

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.97 MYR 3.83

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.48 MYR 1.91

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$4.14 MYR 16.35

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.1

$19.42 MYR 76.7

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.00

$2.63 MYR 10.40

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-18.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.48 MYR 1.91

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 MYR 46.93

$17.59 MYR 69.5

-32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.72 MYR 2.86

59.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.54 MYR 2.13

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.44

$7.28 MYR 28.74

-18.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-6.12%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

4.30%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

15.29%

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

$43.44 MYR 172

$38.68 MYR 153

12.31%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.46

$10.06 MYR 39.73

-8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 MYR 117

$31.12 MYR 123

-5.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$32.54 MYR 129

14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.61

$5.65 MYR 22.32

5.84%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$5.04 MYR 19.89

-44.05%

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

$184 MYR 727

$236 MYR 931

-21.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

10.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 244

$54.4 MYR 215

13.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 MYR 110

$29.20 MYR 115

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 290

$62.4 MYR 247

17.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MYR 203

$53.1 MYR 210

-2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$381 MYR 1,503

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$225 MYR 890

20.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 MYR 2,529

$643 MYR 2,539

-0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,837

$516 MYR 2,036

-9.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,911 MYR 7,550

$2,303 MYR 9,095

-16.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,586

$1,192 MYR 4,709

-23.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 MYR 1,714

$960 MYR 3,792

-54.78%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Tawau and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 121% 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 $21 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $285 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

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 121% 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 $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $21.00 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 $854 in Penang – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Penang 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 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.

Expats usually find Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Tawau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.