Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $970 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sandakan, Sabah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.79 MYR 15.42

215.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$20.12 MYR 81.8

135.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.90 MYR 19.91

139.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.99 MYR 12.18

37.79%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.80 MYR 3.25

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.42 MYR 1.73

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.69 MYR 15.00

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.47 MYR 18.18

58.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.86 MYR 7.56

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.05 MYR 4.27

104.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.52 MYR 6.18

16.45%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.89 MYR 7.68

49.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.56 MYR 55.2

-32.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.33 MYR 17.61

113.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.96 MYR 40.53

26.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.27 MYR 13.28

-9.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.77 MYR 7.20

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.43 MYR 9.88

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.62 MYR 6.59

45.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.33 MYR 5.41

49.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.19 MYR 4.86

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.20 MYR 4.90

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 MYR 2.33

112.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.51 MYR 18.36

2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$19.18 MYR 78.0

-45.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.03 MYR 12.31

-44.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.74 MYR 15.22

-25.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$12.63 MYR 51.4

135.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.26 MYR 5.13

315.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.48 MYR 1.94

660.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.47 MYR 30.37

-22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.73 MYR 2.97

110.96%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

-47.00%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

-26.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$49.67 MYR 202

82.54%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.87 MYR 40.13

155.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$28.51 MYR 116

11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$41.59 MYR 169

65.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.59 MYR 26.80

345.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.92 MYR 20.00

-1.22%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$176 MYR 715

28.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

-16.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$61.3 MYR 250

-22.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.64 MYR 141

25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$80.9 MYR 329

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.9 MYR 284

30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$423 MYR 1,720

156.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$336 MYR 1,366

21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$709 MYR 2,886

177.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$497 MYR 2,023

157.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,034 MYR 8,274

98.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,142 MYR 4,644

487.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,246 MYR 5,068

-37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $423 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 61% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $259 – making Sandakan, Sabah 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

Playa del Carmen vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,455 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $970 in Sandakan, Sabah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandakan, Sabah, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sandakan, Sabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sandakan, Sabah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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