Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sandakan, Sabah

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 30.6% more expensive than Sandakan, Sabah without rent, and 47.1% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 29% more expensive than Sandakan, Sabah without rent, and 86.6% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 ฿151

$2.31 MYR 9.73

102.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.4 ฿1,502

$18.93 MYR 79.8

145.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿280

$4.85 MYR 20.43

78.35%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿100

$2.71 MYR 11.41

14.02%

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

$0.73 ฿23.53

$0.66 MYR 2.78

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.23 MYR 0.96

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿77.4

$2.35 MYR 9.9

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ฿117

$3.55 MYR 14.98

1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ฿72.5

$1.66 MYR 7.02

34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.8 ฿58.2

$1.21 MYR 5.1

48.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿72.3

$1.16 MYR 4.87

93.10%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.1

$2.85 MYR 12.01

-21.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.31 ฿625

$14.97 MYR 63.1

28.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿122

$3.56 MYR 15.01

5.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿422

$7.19 MYR 30.3

81.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿106

$2.65 MYR 11.18

23.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ฿52.6

$1.17 MYR 4.93

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.4 ฿77.7

$3.16 MYR 13.32

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.3

$1.95 MYR 8.21

2.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.62

$1.23 MYR 5.17

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿48.11

$1.27 MYR 5.36

17.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿32.87

$1.08 MYR 4.54

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.61

$0.47 MYR 1.97

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ฿140

$4.2 MYR 17.71

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.68 ฿702

$18.92 MYR 79.8

14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿57.3

$1.93 MYR 8.14

-8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿90.4

$1.61 MYR 6.79

73.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ฿43.74

$0.74 MYR 3.13

82.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿380

$11.71 MYR 49.36

0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ฿102

$1.17 MYR 4.92

169.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1 ฿32.3

$0.98 MYR 4.14

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 ฿442

$5.75 MYR 24.27

137.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.3 ฿42.2

$0.46 MYR 1.93

182.61%

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

$27.4K ฿885.2K

$29.3K MYR 123.7K

-6.77%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.2K MYR 114.6K

24.81%

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

$123 ฿3,970

$46.98 MYR 198

161.13%

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

$13.93 ฿451

$3.64 MYR 15.33

282.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 ฿590

$23.77 MYR 100

-23.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 ฿1,966

$36.2 MYR 153

67.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.11 ฿554

$5.79 MYR 24.4

195.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿294

$2.75 MYR 11.6

229.82%

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

$694 ฿22.5K

$95.7 MYR 403

625.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿514.4K

$4,548 MYR 19.2K

249.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ฿1,861

$58.5 MYR 247

-1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 ฿1,117

$23.19 MYR 97.8

48.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,727

$71 MYR 300

62.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ฿2,743

$92.5 MYR 390

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ฿19.8K

$392 MYR 1,654

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 ฿14.3K

$265 MYR 1,120

66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 ฿65.2K

$644 MYR 2,714

212.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 ฿47.2K

$471 MYR 1,986

209.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 ฿137.3K

$1,722 MYR 7,261

146.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,886 ฿93.4K

$1,151 MYR 4,852

150.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 ฿22.5K

$703 MYR 2,965

-0.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

77.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: October 29, 2025

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