Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Tawau vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Tawau vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,747 per month in Tawau vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Tawau is about 5% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tawau and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 35% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.22

$3.44 MYR 13.59

4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 MYR 75.9

$18.50 MYR 73.1

3.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 MYR 16.17

$4.61 MYR 18.21

-11.28%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 8.92

$2.78 MYR 10.97

-18.71%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.82

$0.67 MYR 2.65

5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.36 MYR 1.43

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MYR 9.24

$3.57 MYR 14.08

-34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.34

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MYR 6.29

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-16.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.16

$0.97 MYR 3.82

35.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.68

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-5.59%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.40

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-4.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.80 MYR 58.5

$10.69 MYR 42.24

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 MYR 16.85

$3.56 MYR 14.04

19.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 38.22

$8.22 MYR 32.46

17.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.46

$2.69 MYR 10.61

7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.32

$2.48 MYR 9.81

5.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.67

$1.27 MYR 5.00

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.19 MYR 4.69

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.06

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.90 MYR 3.54

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.20

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.53

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.71 MYR 73.9

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-7.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.73

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.56

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-25.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-1.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 47.35

$11.70 MYR 46.22

2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$0.98 MYR 3.88

23.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.09

$0.35 MYR 1.38

194.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 MYR 23.55

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-34.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$35.8K MYR 141.5K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

12.59%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

11.26%

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

$42.76 MYR 169

$40.25 MYR 159

6.24%

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

$9.03 MYR 35.68

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.68 MYR 113

$22.94 MYR 90.6

25.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 MYR 148

$37.39 MYR 148

0.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.87

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-22.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-42.48%

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

$186 MYR 735

$214 MYR 846

-13.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,868 MYR 27.1K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-14.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 MYR 240

$48.73 MYR 192

24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 MYR 109

$33.82 MYR 134

-18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MYR 291

$55.0 MYR 217

33.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 MYR 200

$49.39 MYR 195

2.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,506

$471 MYR 1,860

-19.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,075

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 MYR 2,498

$820 MYR 3,240

-22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,849

$555 MYR 2,190

-15.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,762 MYR 6,961

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-46.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$963 MYR 3,804

$211 MYR 833

356.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 MYR 1,671

$1,757 MYR 6,938

-75.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Tawau: April 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Tawau versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 315% higher in Petaling Jaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Tawau vs $239 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 5% more than Tawau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Tawau and $1,365 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Tawau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Tawau and $214 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Tawau and $910 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tawau costs $866 versus $910 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tawau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.