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 $899 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $844 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,303 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,785 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,761 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% more than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Sandakan, Sabah are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 13.92

$2.29 MYR 9.05

53.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.58 MYR 73.4

$18.66 MYR 73.7

-0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.11

$4.59 MYR 18.13

5.45%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.12

$2.57 MYR 10.17

9.73%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.67

$0.69 MYR 2.71

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.45

$0.25 MYR 0.99

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$2.37 MYR 9.37

46.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 20.48

$3.47 MYR 13.70

49.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.33

$1.75 MYR 6.92

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.19 MYR 4.68

-15.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.03

$1.20 MYR 4.75

48.33%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 8.90

$2.88 MYR 11.39

-21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 MYR 41.85

$15.09 MYR 59.6

-29.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.75

$3.51 MYR 13.86

-0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 MYR 31.86

$7.09 MYR 28.00

13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 10.89

$2.62 MYR 10.37

5.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.57

$1.12 MYR 4.43

48.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$3.21 MYR 12.68

-19.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-34.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.71

$1.23 MYR 4.87

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.25

$1.29 MYR 5.09

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.53

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.31

$0.48 MYR 1.88

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 16.90

$4.16 MYR 16.44

2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.59 MYR 81.4

$16.86 MYR 66.6

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 10.98

$1.92 MYR 7.60

44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 15.47

$1.62 MYR 6.39

141.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.02

$0.69 MYR 2.72

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.94 MYR 47.15

$12.01 MYR 47.43

-0.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.06

$1.20 MYR 4.73

-14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.38

$1.00 MYR 3.93

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 MYR 37.00

$5.83 MYR 23.03

60.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.50 MYR 1.96

-8.00%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

6.00%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.3K

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

-1.87%

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

$40.62 MYR 160

$47.91 MYR 189

-15.22%

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

$8.98 MYR 35.48

$3.53 MYR 13.93

154.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 89.4

$23.38 MYR 92.4

-3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 146

$37.49 MYR 148

-1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 28.50

$6.03 MYR 23.81

19.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.68

$2.81 MYR 11.09

77.22%

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

$211 MYR 834

$93.4 MYR 369

126.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,220 MYR 32.5K

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

81.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.46 MYR 191

$60.0 MYR 237

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 MYR 135

$23.14 MYR 91.4

48.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 MYR 211

$71.8 MYR 284

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.81 MYR 193

$93.4 MYR 369

-47.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,823

$386 MYR 1,525

19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 MYR 1,330

$267 MYR 1,056

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 MYR 3,284

$637 MYR 2,515

30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 MYR 2,133

$464 MYR 1,835

16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,320 MYR 13.1K

$1,587 MYR 6,267

109.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$215 MYR 851

$938 MYR 3,705

-77.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,810 MYR 7,149

$762 MYR 3,008

137.68%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Petaling Jaya 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 138% 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 in Petaling Jaya versus $19 in Sandakan, Sabah. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Petaling Jaya 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 6% 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 $1,348 per month in Petaling Jaya 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.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $211 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 $899 in Petaling Jaya 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 $899 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.