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 $970 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,907 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.42

$2.10 ฿69.3

80.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 81.8

$19.84 ฿656

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.91

$5.79 ฿191

-15.37%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.18

$1.83 ฿60.4

63.39%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.78 ฿25.61

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.73

$0.31 ฿10.37

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.00

$2.34 ฿77.2

57.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 18.18

$3.70 ฿122

20.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$2.03 ฿67.1

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.27

$1.60 ฿52.7

-34.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.42 ฿46.75

7.04%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.18 ฿71.9

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 MYR 55.2

$15.91 ฿526

-14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$3.07 ฿102

41.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 MYR 40.53

$9.87 ฿326

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 MYR 13.28

$2.63 ฿86.8

24.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.20

$1.10 ฿36.19

60.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.88

$1.63 ฿53.8

49.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$1.53 ฿50.6

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.24 ฿41.13

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.13 ฿37.37

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.74 ฿24.38

62.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.50 ฿16.48

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.36

$4.28 ฿141

5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$17.97 ฿594

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$1.70 ฿56.1

78.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$2.90 ฿95.7

28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.94 ฿31.13

-18.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.63 MYR 51.4

$55.3 ฿1,827

-77.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$1.23 ฿40.76

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.53 ฿17.66

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.37

$2.40 ฿79.3

211.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$1.44 ฿47.55

-49.31%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

102.98%

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

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

28.46%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$64.9 ฿2,145

-23.50%

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

$9.87 MYR 40.13

$13.35 ฿441

-26.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$20.83 ฿688

36.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 MYR 169

$40.42 ฿1,336

2.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.80

$3.95 ฿131

66.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$6.71 ฿222

-26.68%

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

$176 MYR 715

$787 ฿26.0K

-77.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-66.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$56.2 ฿1,858

9.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 MYR 141

$24.95 ฿824

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 329

$92.7 ฿3,063

-12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 MYR 284

$75.1 ฿2,482

-6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$484 ฿16.0K

-12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,366

$287 ฿9,491

16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,886

$910 ฿30.1K

-22.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$531 ฿17.5K

-6.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,274

$1,980 ฿65.4K

2.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,644

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-21.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,246 MYR 5,068

$605 ฿20.0K

105.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

5.57

-24.60%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $484 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 106% higher in Sandakan, Sabah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $242 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

Sandakan, Sabah costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,455 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Sandakan, Sabah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Sandakan, Sabah at $970. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sandakan, Sabah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $970 in Sandakan, Sabah. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sandakan, Sabah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.