Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $836 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,280 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,723 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sandakan, Sabah are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.70

$2.34 MYR 9.50

55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 MYR 76.6

$18.98 MYR 77.0

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.65 MYR 18.85

0.86%

Cappuccino

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.60 MYR 10.55

4.23%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.74

$0.69 MYR 2.79

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.25 MYR 1.02

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.24

$2.30 MYR 9.33

52.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MYR 20.10

$3.48 MYR 14.09

42.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.78

$1.72 MYR 6.98

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.24 MYR 5.01

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.07

$1.15 MYR 4.65

51.30%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.75

$2.79 MYR 11.31

-22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 43.82

$15.31 MYR 62.1

-29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.45

$3.61 MYR 14.66

-1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 MYR 32.21

$6.90 MYR 27.97

15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.57 MYR 10.44

7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.13 MYR 4.57

53.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.04

$3.29 MYR 13.35

-24.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$2.00 MYR 8.11

-39.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.28 MYR 5.18

7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.08 MYR 4.37

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.51 MYR 2.05

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.74

$4.19 MYR 17.01

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 MYR 78.9

$20.37 MYR 82.6

-4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.09

$1.91 MYR 7.76

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.30

$1.62 MYR 6.59

132.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.68 MYR 2.76

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$11.59 MYR 47.01

3.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-13.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.03 MYR 4.20

-68.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.92

$5.86 MYR 23.77

59.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.46 MYR 1.88

2.17%

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

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

7.88%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

-0.16%

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

$40.93 MYR 166

$47.00 MYR 191

-12.91%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.97

$3.56 MYR 14.43

149.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 MYR 93.9

$23.54 MYR 95.5

-1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 MYR 149

$37.45 MYR 152

-1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.28

$5.79 MYR 23.50

24.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.30

$2.79 MYR 11.33

79.57%

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

$209 MYR 849

$93.4 MYR 379

124.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

82.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MYR 197

$59.3 MYR 241

-18.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 MYR 138

$22.40 MYR 90.8

51.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 MYR 219

$69.9 MYR 283

-22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.57 MYR 197

$93.6 MYR 380

-48.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,911

$387 MYR 1,571

21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,407

$274 MYR 1,113

26.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MYR 3,311

$637 MYR 2,581

28.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 MYR 2,200

$465 MYR 1,886

16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

$2,042 MYR 8,280

54.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$210 MYR 851

$1,040 MYR 4,217

-79.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

$1,225 MYR 4,968

42.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

49.67%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $387 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 42% higher in Petaling Jaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $243 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Sandakan, Sabah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,364 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,254 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 3% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Petaling Jaya and $93.4 in Sandakan, Sabah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $909 in Petaling Jaya and $836 in Sandakan, Sabah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $836 versus $909 in Petaling Jaya. 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, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.