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 $858 per month in Tawau vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Tawau vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Tawau vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Tawau is about 6% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tawau and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 36% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.67

$3.50 MYR 14.28

2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 MYR 76.0

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-2.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.48

$4.78 MYR 19.53

-15.48%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.24

$2.78 MYR 11.34

-18.71%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.72 MYR 2.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-33.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.41

$4.93 MYR 20.13

-33.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-20.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$0.93 MYR 3.81

41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-6.15%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.6

$10.52 MYR 42.97

41.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$3.41 MYR 13.92

30.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 MYR 37.37

$8.28 MYR 33.81

10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.98

$2.65 MYR 10.83

10.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.15

$2.53 MYR 10.32

-1.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.81

$1.20 MYR 4.91

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.18 MYR 4.80

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.96 MYR 3.93

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.43

$4.20 MYR 17.17

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 MYR 74.8

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.27

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.84

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-26.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 48.75

$11.59 MYR 47.34

3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.02 MYR 4.16

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$0.33 MYR 1.34

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.42

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-36.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.6K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

11.75%

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

$31.6K MYR 129.2K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

11.98%

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

$44.32 MYR 181

$40.45 MYR 165

9.57%

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

$8.87 MYR 36.23

$9.18 MYR 37.49

-3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$22.64 MYR 92.5

27.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.32 MYR 148

$37.27 MYR 152

-2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.60

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-21.36%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$4.88 MYR 19.94

-43.03%

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

$186 MYR 758

$208 MYR 850

-10.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-15.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$48.20 MYR 197

24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 MYR 110

$34.63 MYR 141

-22.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 MYR 294

$54.0 MYR 221

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 MYR 206

$49.14 MYR 201

2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,601

$460 MYR 1,880

-14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,110

$340 MYR 1,389

-20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,652

$826 MYR 3,375

-21.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,911

$538 MYR 2,196

-13.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MYR 9,198

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-27.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 MYR 5,092

$204 MYR 834

510.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,716

$1,764 MYR 7,203

-76.18%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Tawau versus $460 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 320% 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 – $251 in Tawau vs $236 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 6% 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 $1,287 per month in Tawau and $1,367 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 3% less in Tawau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Tawau and $208 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 $858 in Tawau and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tawau costs $858 versus $912 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.