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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $838 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.40 MYR 9.82

388.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$18.83 MYR 77.0

122.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.63 MYR 18.91

127.00%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.59 MYR 10.57

38.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.68 MYR 2.78

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.23 MYR 0.94

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.40 MYR 9.80

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.45 MYR 14.10

27.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.66 MYR 6.79

-15.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.20 MYR 4.89

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.14 MYR 4.68

36.84%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$15.33 MYR 62.6

-45.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.43 MYR 14.01

143.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.16 MYR 29.24

51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.56 MYR 10.46

5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.18 MYR 4.83

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$3.23 MYR 13.21

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.98 MYR 8.09

10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.19 MYR 4.86

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.34 MYR 5.46

66.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.47 MYR 1.92

131.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.16 MYR 17.02

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$17.39 MYR 71.1

-40.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.68 MYR 6.86

55.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$12.00 MYR 49.04

118.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.15 MYR 4.71

167.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.03 MYR 4.23

133.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.04 MYR 24.69

-48.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.50 MYR 2.05

162.00%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

-0.26%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

-16.92%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$46.63 MYR 191

74.31%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$3.50 MYR 14.29

544.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$23.79 MYR 97.2

26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$36.28 MYR 148

45.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$6.00 MYR 24.53

206.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$2.87 MYR 11.75

71.43%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$94.8 MYR 388

111.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

17.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$59.3 MYR 242

-39.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$22.95 MYR 93.8

74.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$71.8 MYR 293

11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$95.8 MYR 392

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$391 MYR 1,598

150.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$267 MYR 1,092

76.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$652 MYR 2,664

153.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$479 MYR 1,958

151.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,998 MYR 8,166

97.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$995 MYR 4,065

564.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,215 MYR 4,965

-44.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $391 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 80% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $236 – 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 50%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,257 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $838 in Sandakan, Sabah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $838, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.