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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $838 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.40 MYR 9.81

86.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$18.83 MYR 76.9

142.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.63 MYR 18.89

89.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.59 MYR 10.56

14.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.68 MYR 2.78

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.23 MYR 0.94

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.40 MYR 9.79

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.45 MYR 14.09

8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.66 MYR 6.78

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.20 MYR 4.88

51.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.14 MYR 4.67

91.23%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.76 MYR 11.25

-18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$15.33 MYR 62.6

30.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.43 MYR 14.00

5.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.16 MYR 29.22

89.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.56 MYR 10.45

26.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.18 MYR 4.82

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.23 MYR 13.20

-27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.98 MYR 8.09

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.19 MYR 4.86

30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.34 MYR 5.46

8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.47 MYR 1.92

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.16 MYR 17.01

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$17.39 MYR 71.0

6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.91 MYR 7.81

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.68 MYR 6.85

57.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.68 MYR 2.78

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$12.00 MYR 48.99

-3.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.15 MYR 4.70

175.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.03 MYR 4.22

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.04 MYR 24.67

129.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.50 MYR 2.05

168.00%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$29.9K MYR 122.0K

-7.00%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.1K MYR 114.6K

18.92%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$46.63 MYR 190

163.89%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$3.50 MYR 14.28

293.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$23.79 MYR 97.1

-22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.28 MYR 148

67.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$6.00 MYR 24.50

186.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.87 MYR 11.74

209.06%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$94.8 MYR 387

625.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

259.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$59.3 MYR 242

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$22.95 MYR 93.7

51.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$71.8 MYR 293

60.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$95.8 MYR 391

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$391 MYR 1,597

58.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$267 MYR 1,091

66.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$652 MYR 2,662

211.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$479 MYR 1,956

212.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,998 MYR 8,158

72.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$995 MYR 4,061

154.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,215 MYR 4,960

-59.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $391 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 146% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $236 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

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

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

Sandakan, Sabah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 146% lower in Sandakan, Sabah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $391 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $94.8 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sandakan, Sabah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Sandakan, Sabah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.