Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,723 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 38% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.50

$1.98 ฿64.3

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.0

$18.80 ฿612

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$7.75 ฿252

-40.00%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.55

$1.92 ฿62.5

35.42%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.79 ฿25.79

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.36 ฿11.62

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MYR 9.33

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.09

$3.66 ฿119

-4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.98

$1.65 ฿53.8

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.19 ฿38.86

-3.36%

Eggs

$2.79 MYR 11.31

$2.00 ฿65.1

39.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 MYR 62.1

$15.98 ฿520

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.66

$3.03 ฿98.5

19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 MYR 27.97

$10.86 ฿354

-36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.44

$2.76 ฿90.0

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.18 ฿38.42

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.35

$1.64 ฿53.5

100.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.11

$1.52 ฿49.51

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.38 ฿45.10

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.18

$1.19 ฿38.84

7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.37

$0.70 ฿22.86

54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.56 ฿18.13

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.01

$4.58 ฿149

-8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.37 MYR 82.6

$16.56 ฿539

23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.83 ฿59.5

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$3.20 ฿104

-49.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.88 ฿28.56

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.01

$18.72 ฿610

-38.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.36 ฿44.16

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.34 ฿43.65

-23.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 MYR 23.77

$7.84 ฿256

-25.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.23 ฿39.92

-62.60%

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

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

34.13%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

25.11%

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

$47.00 MYR 191

$70.5 ฿2,298

-33.37%

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

$3.56 MYR 14.43

$13.68 ฿445

-73.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.54 MYR 95.5

$17.45 ฿568

34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 152

$41.33 ฿1,346

-9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.50

$6.96 ฿227

-16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$5.77 ฿188

-51.65%

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

$93.4 MYR 379

$307 ฿10.0K

-69.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-69.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 241

$55.8 ฿1,817

6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.40 MYR 90.8

$26.21 ฿854

-14.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 MYR 283

$85.8 ฿2,793

-18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 MYR 380

$72.2 ฿2,353

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$430 ฿14.0K

-9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,113

$239 ฿7,774

14.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$817 ฿26.6K

-22.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$511 ฿16.6K

-8.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,042 MYR 8,280

$1,983 ฿64.6K

2.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,217

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-29.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,225 MYR 4,968

$619 ฿20.2K

97.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $430 in Chiang Mai. 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 98% 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 $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Sandakan, Sabah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $93.4 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Sandakan, Sabah and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $836 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.