Living in Tawau
Tawau is a city in Sabah, Malaysia, home to 372,615 people. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are young families (top 6%, #23 of 442), single parents (top 10%, #41 of 442), low-income families (top 10%, #44 of 442).
Residents372,615
Density– per km²
Area– km²
Hub airport277 km (Kota Kinabalu International)
Nearest city of 100k+Itself
Within 30 km372,600 people
Sea coast1 km
Terrain around itabout 0 m, height range 110 m
Main railway line235.4 km
Border with Indonesia8 km
Distance to Kuala Lumpur1,801 km
Within 10 km372,615 people
Greater areaGreater Tawau, the core
LandscapeGreater Sunda Islands, Malay Archipelago
Winter daylight11 h 53 min, sunset 11:03
See Tawau on the map
Open in NestlyzerGood to know about Tawau
- The landscape belongs to the Greater Sunda Islands.
- It is right on the coast of the Celebes Sea.
- The border with Indonesia is 8 km away.
- On the shortest day the sun is up for 11 h 53 min and sets around 11:03; in late June it sets around 12:21.
How Tawau ranks
Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in Malaysia. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Regional overview: population, geography and modelled indicators for costs, schools and safety.
| Profile | Score | In Malaysia | In Sabah | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young family | 71 | #23 of 442 | #2 of 15 | Map |
| Low-income household | 76 | #107 of 497 | #3 of 27 | Map |
| Low-income family | 73 | #44 of 442 | #3 of 15 | Map |
| Single parent | 74 | #41 of 442 | #3 of 15 | Map |
| Pensioner couple | 73 | #150 of 442 | #4 of 15 | Map |
| Single pensioner | 73 | #217 of 442 | #4 of 15 | Map |
| Early retiree | 70 | #79 of 497 | #2 of 27 | Map |
| Single professional | 73 | #102 of 384 | #3 of 10 | Map |
| Young professional | 75 | #97 of 370 | #3 of 9 | Map |
| DINKS | 72 | #113 of 300 | #3 of 8 | Map |
| Remote worker | 73 | #171 of 497 | #3 of 27 | Map |
| Commuter | 84 | #96 of 380 | #3 of 9 | Map |
| Car-free household | 80 | #76 of 323 | #3 of 8 | Map |
| Student | 0 | #194 of 214 | #7 of 7 | Map |
| First-home buyer | 74 | #111 of 442 | #3 of 15 | Map |
| Budget-constrained mover | 70 | #162 of 497 | #5 of 27 | Map |
| Urban lifestyle seeker | 73 | #81 of 344 | #3 of 8 | Map |
| Expat professional | 63 | #202 of 497 | #5 of 27 | Map |
| Healthcare-first mover | 70 | #163 of 442 | #5 of 15 | Map |
| Nature-focused household | 48 | #330 of 497 | #23 of 27 | Map |
| Cross-border commuter | not ranked: must-have: a border within 45 km where pay is higher on the other side | – | Map | |
| Outdoor and mountain lover | 52 | #94 of 497 | #16 of 27 | Map |
| Rural value seeker | 53 | #267 of 497 | #21 of 27 | Map |
| High-net-worth mover | 78 | #19 of 497 | #2 of 27 | Map |
| Lottery winner | 69 | #138 of 497 | #4 of 27 | Map |
| Climate-resilient relocation | 43 | #445 of 497 | #22 of 27 | Map |
| Coastal living | 72 | #177 of 374 | #15 of 21 | Map |
| Business owner | 66 | #261 of 497 | #6 of 27 | Map |
| Digital native | 57 | #166 of 394 | #4 of 10 | Map |
Strengths and trade-offs
Nearby
- Kampung Kunak 63 km
- Semporna 84 km
- Kobang 92 km
- Lahad Datu 99 km
- Kinabatangan 149 km
- Sandakan 179 km
- Taman Rajawali 184 km
- Bandar Nabawan 185 km
Data: Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.