Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sandakan, Sabah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah: $934 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Sandakan, Sabah
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Sandakan, Sabah Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Sandakan, Sabah

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Sandakan, Sabah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Sandakan, Sabah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $934 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Austin, TX $2,698
Sandakan, Sabah $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,397 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Austin, TX $4,160
Sandakan, Sabah $1,397

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $1,860 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Austin, TX $5,622
Sandakan, Sabah $1,860

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 189% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Sandakan, Sabah is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$3.75 MYR 15.28

450.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.24 MYR 78.5

339.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.77 MYR 19.45

153.04%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.83 MYR 11.53

93.64%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$0.79 MYR 3.23

381.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.40 MYR 1.63

517.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.77 MYR 15.39

113.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.48 MYR 18.27

98.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-39.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.04 MYR 4.26

257.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.49 MYR 6.09

126.17%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.05 MYR 8.37

110.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.38 MYR 54.6

-1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$4.36 MYR 17.77

224.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$9.69 MYR 39.54

68.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.28 MYR 13.39

38.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.42 MYR 9.85

94.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.53 MYR 6.25

171.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.31 MYR 5.35

96.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.18 MYR 4.82

99.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.12 MYR 4.57

58.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.53 MYR 2.15

303.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.50 MYR 18.35

124.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$19.33 MYR 78.9

-21.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.55 MYR 18.55

-24.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.72 MYR 2.92

113.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$12.43 MYR 50.7

229.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.19 MYR 4.85

135.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.50 MYR 2.05

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$7.51 MYR 30.63

357.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.80 MYR 3.28

17.50%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$41.3K MYR 168.5K

-17.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$34.3K MYR 140.0K

-22.00%

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

$223 $223

$48.48 MYR 198

359.26%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$9.82 MYR 40.07

499.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$27.45 MYR 112

157.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$39.94 MYR 163

44.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$7.11 MYR 29.01

132.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$4.94 MYR 20.14

188.66%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$190 MYR 776

693.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$7,001 MYR 28.6K

198.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$56.6 MYR 231

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$34.71 MYR 142

27.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$81.6 MYR 333

6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$75.7 MYR 309

37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$403 MYR 1,644

381.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$299 MYR 1,221

339.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$681 MYR 2,779

437.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$489 MYR 1,994

424.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,002 MYR 8,167

267.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,079 MYR 4,402

189.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,220 MYR 4,976

333.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.06

67.24%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Sandakan, Sabah

$299 32.1% 77.3% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$258 27.6% 36.5% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$86 9.2% 75.6% $266

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Sandakan, Sabah

$111 11.9% 68.4% $239

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Sandakan, Sabah

$112 12% 13.3% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sandakan, Sabah

$50 5.3% 42.2% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Sandakan, Sabah

$19 2% 67.2% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $403 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 333% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $258 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Sandakan, Sabah

🕒 Local time

14:44 2:44 PM

03:44 3:44 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

439,050

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

MYR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Sandakan, Sabah 14,470 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sandakan, Sabah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandakan, Sabah wins on cost – living expenses run 189% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sandakan, Sabah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 333% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $403 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $934 in Sandakan, Sabah – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 230% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Sandakan, Sabah 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 Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.