Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $844 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,303 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,761 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Sandakan, Sabah have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Sandakan, Sabah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.29 MYR 9.05

-14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$18.66 MYR 73.7

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$4.59 MYR 18.13

63.40%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-24.90%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.69 MYR 2.71

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.25 MYR 0.99

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.37 MYR 9.37

-9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.47 MYR 13.70

6.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.75 MYR 6.92

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.19 MYR 4.68

31.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.20 MYR 4.75

-1.67%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.88 MYR 11.39

-31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$15.09 MYR 59.6

6.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.51 MYR 13.86

-9.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.09 MYR 28.00

54.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.62 MYR 10.37

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.12 MYR 4.43

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.21 MYR 12.68

-48.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-19.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.23 MYR 4.87

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.29 MYR 5.09

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-41.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.48 MYR 1.88

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.16 MYR 16.44

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$16.86 MYR 66.6

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.92 MYR 7.60

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.62 MYR 6.39

96.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.69 MYR 2.72

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$12.01 MYR 47.43

58.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.20 MYR 4.73

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.00 MYR 3.93

31.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.83 MYR 23.03

38.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.50 MYR 1.96

156.00%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

-27.71%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

-22.99%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$47.91 MYR 189

44.44%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$3.53 MYR 13.93

295.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$23.38 MYR 92.4

-23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$37.49 MYR 148

12.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$6.03 MYR 23.81

10.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$2.81 MYR 11.09

110.68%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$93.4 MYR 369

220.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

228.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$60.0 MYR 237

-6.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$23.14 MYR 91.4

16.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$71.8 MYR 284

18.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$93.4 MYR 369

-23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$386 MYR 1,525

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$267 MYR 1,056

-10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$637 MYR 2,515

25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$464 MYR 1,835

7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,587 MYR 6,267

25.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$938 MYR 3,705

63.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$762 MYR 3,008

-17.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $386 in Sandakan, Sabah. 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 21% higher in Sandakan, Sabah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Sandakan, Sabah. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Sandakan, Sabah – so Sandakan, Sabah 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,266 in Sandakan, Sabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $844 in Sandakan, Sabah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $844 versus $845 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sandakan, Sabah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.