Cost of living
Kota Kinabalu compared to Tawau
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Overview comparison
Kota KinabaluTawau
Consumer prices in Kota Kinabalu are roughly 15% higher than in Tawau.
Cost of living
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| Total with rent one person | 608 | 457 |
|---|
| Total with rent family | 1,670 | 1,198 |
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| Without rent one person | 342 | 271 |
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| Without rent one family | 1,213 | 1,029 |
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| Rent & Utilities person | 268.74 | 214.01 |
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| Rent & Utilities family | 493.03 | 562.89 |
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| Food person | 249 | 253 |
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| Food family | 758 | 592 |
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| Transport person | 60.99 | 22.9 |
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| Transport family | 147.25 | 60.82 |
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| Life expectancy | 82.04 years | 66.38 years |
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Eating Out
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| Lunch Menu | 3.45 | 3.18 |
|---|
| Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | 15.87 | 18.94 |
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| Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's | 4.88 | 4.52 |
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| Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | 3.35 | 1.62 |
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| Cappuccino | 2.54 | 2.32 |
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| Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | 0.68 | 1.01 |
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Rent & Utilities
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| 1 bedroom apartment in city Center, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 316.24 | 254.8 |
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| Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 179.24 | 141.52 |
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| 3 bedroom apartment in city Center, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 590.9 | 388.47 |
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| Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 229.56 | 302.19 |
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| Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 30.97 | 37.4 |
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| Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 53.32 | 66.88 |
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| Internet plan, 25 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited | 27.64 | 25.39 |
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Transportation
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| Local transport ticket | 3.09 | 3.02 |
|---|
| Monthly ticket local transport | 1,394 | 1,413 |
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| Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | 971 | 856 |
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| Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | 1.47 | 0.28 |
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| Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | 23.12% | 18.43% |
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| Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 8.9 | 7.5 |
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| House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 0.52 | 0.48 |
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Groceries
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | 2.05 | 1.55 |
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| Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | 0.9 | 1.3 |
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| Eggs, x12 | 2.57 | 1.74 |
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| Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 12.17 | 12.07 |
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| Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 4.58 | 2.78 |
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| Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 7.04 | 4.42 |
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| Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 1.19 | 1.15 |
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| Water, 1 L or 1 qt | 0.27 | 0.28 |
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Other
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | Tawau |
|---|
| Gym Membership, 1 month | 30.08 | 21.2 |
|---|
| Cinema Ticket, 1 person | 3.25 | 3.26 |
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| Doctors visit | 17.92 | 28.31 |
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| Haircut, simple | 7.24 | 5.7 |
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| Brand Jeans | 68.13 | 58.92 |
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| Brand Sneakers | 79.53 | 75.35 |
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| Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | 139.39 | 116.64 |
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| International Primary School, 1 year | 4,852 | 3,959 |
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