Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Sandakan, Sabah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah: $934 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
45

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

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Sandakan, Sabah

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $934 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Sandakan, Sabah $934

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $1,397 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Sandakan, Sabah $1,397

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $1,860 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Sandakan, Sabah $1,860

Nosara costs about 96% more than Sandakan, Sabah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 35% above the global median, while Sandakan, Sabah is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$3.75 MYR 15.28

229.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$19.24 MYR 78.5

218.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$4.77 MYR 19.45

62.68%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$2.83 MYR 11.53

56.89%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$0.79 MYR 3.23

126.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$0.40 MYR 1.63

222.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$3.77 MYR 15.39

-14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$4.48 MYR 18.27

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.04 MYR 4.26

196.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$1.49 MYR 6.09

69.80%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$2.05 MYR 8.37

68.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$13.38 MYR 54.6

-45.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$4.36 MYR 17.77

134.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$9.69 MYR 39.54

45.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$3.28 MYR 13.39

-30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$2.42 MYR 9.85

97.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.53 MYR 6.25

7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.31 MYR 5.35

193.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$1.18 MYR 4.82

217.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.53 MYR 2.15

388.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$4.50 MYR 18.35

13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$19.33 MYR 78.9

3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$4.55 MYR 18.55

-22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$0.72 MYR 2.92

69.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$12.43 MYR 50.7

494.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$1.19 MYR 4.85

82.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$0.50 MYR 2.05

212.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$7.51 MYR 30.63

15.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$0.80 MYR 3.28

93.75%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$41.3K MYR 168.5K

-16.34%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$34.3K MYR 140.0K

12.93%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$48.48 MYR 198

95.59%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$9.82 MYR 40.07

268.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$27.45 MYR 112

93.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$39.94 MYR 163

84.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$7.11 MYR 29.01

401.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$4.94 MYR 20.14

60.12%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$190 MYR 776

157.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$7,001 MYR 28.6K

69.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$56.6 MYR 231

-3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$34.71 MYR 142

60.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$81.6 MYR 333

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$75.7 MYR 309

2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$403 MYR 1,644

98.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$299 MYR 1,221

163.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$681 MYR 2,779

487.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$489 MYR 1,994

188.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,002 MYR 8,167

252.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,079 MYR 4,402

14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$1,220 MYR 4,976

-27.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.06

112.32%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Sandakan, Sabah

$299 32.1% 62.1% $490

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Sandakan, Sabah

$258 27.6% 26.3% $92

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Sandakan, Sabah

$111 11.9% 47.9% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Sandakan, Sabah

$86 9.2% 53.4% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Sandakan, Sabah

$112 12% 7.5% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Sandakan, Sabah

$50 5.3% 44.4% $40

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Sandakan, Sabah

$19 2% 78.6% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $403 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 38% higher in Sandakan, Sabah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $258 – making Sandakan, Sabah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇾 Sandakan, Sabah

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

05:14 5:14 AM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

439,050

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 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 CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Sandakan, Sabah 16,850 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $934 in Sandakan, Sabah – roughly 96% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $1,401 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.

Public transport costs about 495% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $190 in Sandakan, Sabah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandakan, Sabah, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Sandakan, Sabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $934 in Sandakan, Sabah to $1,835 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.