Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Sandakan, Sabah

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangalore: $557 a month against $934 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Bangalore
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Bangalore Living Index
45

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

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Bangalore

🇮🇳 India

$557

/mo nomad

Sandakan, Sabah

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangalore 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 Bangalore and in Sandakan, Sabah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Bangalore versus $934 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Bangalore $557
Sandakan, Sabah $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bangalore versus $1,397 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Bangalore $941
Sandakan, Sabah $1,397

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,324 in Bangalore versus $1,860 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Bangalore $1,324
Sandakan, Sabah $1,860

Living in Bangalore costs roughly 40% less than in Sandakan, Sabah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 59% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ₹297

$3.75 MYR 15.28

-16.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.66 ₹1,677

$19.24 MYR 78.5

-8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 ₹443

$4.77 MYR 19.45

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₹217

$2.83 MYR 11.53

-19.43%

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

$0.40 ₹37.91

$0.79 MYR 3.23

-49.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.62

$0.40 MYR 1.63

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹216

$3.77 MYR 15.39

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₹342

$4.48 MYR 18.27

-19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 ₹62.4

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-63.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 ₹55.8

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-43.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.5

$1.49 MYR 6.09

-45.64%

Eggs

$1.14 ₹109

$2.05 MYR 8.37

-44.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 ₹588

$13.38 MYR 54.6

-53.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ₹356

$4.36 MYR 17.77

-13.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MYR 39.54

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ₹272

$3.28 MYR 13.39

-12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.3

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-56.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$2.42 MYR 9.85

-50.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.54

$1.53 MYR 6.25

-72.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.59

$1.31 MYR 5.35

-70.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.84

$1.18 MYR 4.82

-66.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹37.56

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.09

$0.53 MYR 2.15

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ₹442

$4.50 MYR 18.35

3.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.48 ₹900

$19.33 MYR 78.9

-50.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₹187

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-34.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹283

$4.55 MYR 18.55

-34.51%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.59 ₹626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.66

$0.72 MYR 2.92

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.69 ₹1,490

$12.43 MYR 50.7

26.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ₹101

$1.19 MYR 4.85

-10.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.52

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₹205

$7.51 MYR 30.63

-71.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹109

$0.80 MYR 3.28

43.75%

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

$11.3K ₹1.1M

$41.3K MYR 168.5K

-72.63%

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

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$34.3K MYR 140.0K

-45.19%

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

$30.35 ₹2,882

$48.48 MYR 198

-37.40%

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

$4.11 ₹390

$9.82 MYR 40.07

-58.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.45 ₹992

$27.45 MYR 112

-61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.89 ₹1,794

$39.94 MYR 163

-52.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.10 ₹579

$7.11 MYR 29.01

-14.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₹461

$4.94 MYR 20.14

-1.62%

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

$102 ₹9,687

$190 MYR 776

-46.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,978 ₹282.8K

$7,001 MYR 28.6K

-57.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.83 ₹3,212

$56.6 MYR 231

-40.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ₹2,915

$34.71 MYR 142

-11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.3 ₹5,343

$81.6 MYR 333

-31.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ₹3,803

$75.7 MYR 309

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₹29.4K

$403 MYR 1,644

-23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.0K

$299 MYR 1,221

-40.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 ₹75.9K

$681 MYR 2,779

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₹45.6K

$489 MYR 1,994

-1.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,928 ₹183.0K

$2,002 MYR 8,167

-3.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 ₹102.2K

$1,079 MYR 4,402

-0.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 ₹89.6K

$1,220 MYR 4,976

-22.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.47

4.06

108.62%

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

Last update for Bangalore: October 18, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bangalore

$179 32.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$299 32.1% 67.4% $121

Groceries & Markets

Bangalore

$125 22.4%

Sandakan, Sabah

$258 27.6% 106% $133

Eating Out

Bangalore

$87 15.6%

Sandakan, Sabah

$111 11.9% 27.1% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Bangalore

$72 13%

Sandakan, Sabah

$112 12% 54.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangalore

$45 8.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$86 9.2% 91% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Bangalore

$29 5.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$50 5.3% 74.2% $21

Getting Around

Bangalore

$20 3.6%

Sandakan, Sabah

$19 2% 6.5% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Bangalore and $403 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 29% 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: $18.00 in Bangalore vs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $125 vs $258 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Bangalore

🇲🇾 Sandakan, Sabah

🕒 Local time

00:47 12:47 AM

03:17 3:17 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Bangalore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,495,492

439,050

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 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).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bangalore Sandakan, Sabah 4,510 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bangalore
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

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

Bangalore wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bangalore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Sandakan, Sabah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $309 in Bangalore versus $403 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bangalore runs roughly 26% less than in Sandakan, Sabah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $102 in Bangalore versus $190 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bangalore gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bangalore delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $557 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bangalore hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore 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 Bangalore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Sandakan, Sabah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.