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 $844 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,303 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,761 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.05

$1.95 ฿62.8

17.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 73.7

$18.43 ฿594

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.13

$7.50 ฿241

-38.80%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$1.93 ฿62.3

33.16%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.78 ฿25.08

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.32 ฿10.42

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MYR 9.37

$2.15 ฿69.2

10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$3.71 ฿120

-6.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 6.92

$1.71 ฿55.2

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.68

$1.56 ฿50.3

-23.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$1.18 ฿38.06

1.69%

Eggs

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$1.98 ฿63.9

45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 MYR 59.6

$16.04 ฿517

-5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 MYR 13.86

$3.17 ฿102

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.09 MYR 28.00

$10.94 ฿353

-35.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.37

$2.63 ฿84.7

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.17 ฿37.61

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 12.68

$1.65 ฿53.0

94.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.54 ฿49.51

24.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.38 ฿44.34

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.17 ฿37.54

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.42

$0.66 ฿21.25

69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.88

$0.51 ฿16.55

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$4.52 ฿146

-7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MYR 66.6

$18.32 ฿590

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$1.80 ฿57.9

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.39

$3.18 ฿102

-49.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.90 ฿28.97

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 47.43

$19.00 ฿612

-36.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.73

$1.41 ฿45.50

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$1.31 ฿42.15

-23.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.03

$8.09 ฿261

-27.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$1.28 ฿41.08

-60.94%

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

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

38.32%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

29.86%

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

$47.91 MYR 189

$69.2 ฿2,230

-30.77%

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

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$13.97 ฿450

-74.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 MYR 92.4

$17.95 ฿578

30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 148

$42.31 ฿1,363

-11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.81

$6.66 ฿214

-9.46%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.09

$5.92 ฿191

-52.53%

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

$93.4 MYR 369

$299 ฿9,640

-68.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-69.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$56.2 ฿1,810

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 MYR 91.4

$26.94 ฿868

-14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 284

$84.9 ฿2,735

-15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MYR 369

$71.8 ฿2,314

30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,525

$435 ฿14.0K

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,056

$240 ฿7,727

11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,515

$798 ฿25.7K

-20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,835

$498 ฿16.1K

-6.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MYR 6,267

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-20.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 MYR 3,705

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-38.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MYR 3,008

$628 ฿20.2K

21.22%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $435 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 21% higher in Sandakan, Sabah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Sandakan, Sabah 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,266 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,267 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $844 in Sandakan, Sabah and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $844 versus $845 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.