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: $858 in Tawau versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Tawau versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Tawau versus $1,870 in Penang.

Living in Tawau costs roughly 1% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.67

$3.08 MYR 12.57

16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 MYR 76.0

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.48

$4.15 MYR 16.95

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.24

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-23.91%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.33 MYR 1.37

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.41

$4.45 MYR 18.19

-26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.03 MYR 4.22

28.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-18.45%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.6

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-38.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$2.91 MYR 11.88

0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.45 MYR 5.92

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.15

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.81

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-32.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.13 MYR 4.62

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.20 MYR 4.91

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.89 MYR 3.62

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$0.48 MYR 1.96

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.43

$4.19 MYR 17.12

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 MYR 74.8

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.27

$2.65 MYR 10.84

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.84

$3.40 MYR 13.88

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.45 MYR 1.83

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 48.75

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-32.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.74 MYR 3.04

62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$0.51 MYR 2.06

94.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.42

$6.90 MYR 28.19

-13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.50 MYR 2.03

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

$34.7K MYR 141.6K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

1.77%

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

$31.6K MYR 129.2K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

15.69%

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

$44.32 MYR 181

$39.05 MYR 159

13.50%

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

$8.87 MYR 36.23

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$31.51 MYR 129

-8.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.32 MYR 148

$32.40 MYR 132

12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.60

$5.53 MYR 22.59

4.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$4.81 MYR 19.62

-42.20%

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

$186 MYR 758

$240 MYR 978

-22.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

9.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$55.3 MYR 226

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$29.23 MYR 119

-8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 MYR 294

$61.1 MYR 249

17.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 MYR 206

$52.7 MYR 215

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,601

$382 MYR 1,558

2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$225 MYR 920

20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,652

$636 MYR 2,596

2.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,911

$522 MYR 2,131

-10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MYR 9,198

$2,203 MYR 8,997

2.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MYR 5,092

$1,160 MYR 4,735

7.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,716

$942 MYR 3,846

-55.38%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Tawau and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 124% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Tawau vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $286 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

Tawau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Penang. 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: $392 in Tawau versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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.

All in, you'll spend $858 per month in Tawau versus $867 in Penang – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Expats usually find Tawau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.