Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah: $968 a month against $1,074 in Kuala Lumpur, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Sandakan, Sabah
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Sandakan, Sabah Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Kuala Lumpur
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Kuala Lumpur Living Index

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Sandakan, Sabah

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$968

/mo nomad

Kuala Lumpur

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,074

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sandakan, Sabah and in Kuala Lumpur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sandakan, Sabah and in Kuala Lumpur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $968 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,074 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah $968
Kuala Lumpur $1,074

A couple spends around $1,470 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,622 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah $1,470
Kuala Lumpur $1,622

A family of three spends $1,971 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $2,170 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah $1,971
Kuala Lumpur $2,170

Sandakan, Sabah is about 10% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 29% lower, Kuala Lumpur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 MYR 14.91

$4.98 MYR 20.35

-26.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.26 MYR 78.7

$29.03 MYR 119

-33.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 MYR 18.63

$4.85 MYR 19.84

-5.98%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.56

$3.02 MYR 12.34

1.66%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.75

$0.45 MYR 1.86

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 MYR 17.35

$4.48 MYR 18.29

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 MYR 16.06

$6.16 MYR 25.19

-36.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$2.11 MYR 8.63

-5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.12 MYR 4.58

5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-22.80%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 9.16

$2.46 MYR 10.04

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 MYR 48.20

$14.24 MYR 58.2

-17.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 MYR 16.36

$4.37 MYR 17.86

-8.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 39.02

$9.86 MYR 40.32

-3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.59

$3.46 MYR 14.13

-17.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$1.78 MYR 7.27

-8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.34

$2.27 MYR 9.26

11.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.39

$1.51 MYR 6.18

3.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.23 MYR 5.02

13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.65

$1.30 MYR 5.33

6.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$1.14 MYR 4.65

11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-32.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MYR 16.52

$4.29 MYR 17.52

-5.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.89 MYR 89.5

$19.77 MYR 80.8

10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.77

$3.36 MYR 13.75

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$5.02 MYR 20.52

-14.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.70 MYR 2.87

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.67 MYR 43.60

$12.44 MYR 50.9

-14.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$1.20 MYR 4.88

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$1.25 MYR 5.09

-49.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 MYR 33.08

$4.98 MYR 20.37

62.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.33

$0.89 MYR 3.63

-7.87%

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

$46.8K MYR 191.1K

$44.5K MYR 182.1K

4.94%

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

$39.7K MYR 162.1K

$34.6K MYR 141.5K

14.60%

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

$48.86 MYR 200

$63.5 MYR 259

-23.01%

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

$10.09 MYR 41.24

$8.62 MYR 35.24

17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MYR 117

$26.24 MYR 107

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.98 MYR 151

$49.20 MYR 201

-24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.38 MYR 30.16

$7.32 MYR 29.93

0.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.77

$4.97 MYR 20.33

2.21%

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

$242 MYR 990

$472 MYR 1,927

-48.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,062 MYR 28.9K

$13.2K MYR 53.9K

-46.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 MYR 258

$72.2 MYR 295

-12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 MYR 124

$41.48 MYR 170

-26.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 MYR 374

$83.9 MYR 343

9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 MYR 316

$94.3 MYR 385

-18.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,549

$685 MYR 2,800

-44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,331

$358 MYR 1,463

-9.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 MYR 2,577

$1,212 MYR 4,953

-47.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 MYR 2,406

$593 MYR 2,424

-0.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,010 MYR 8,215

$3,760 MYR 15.4K

-46.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 MYR 4,696

$1,565 MYR 6,395

-26.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 MYR 4,946

$1,458 MYR 5,957

-16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.17

-2.64%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sandakan, Sabah

$326 33.6%

Kuala Lumpur

$358 33.3% 9.9% $32

Groceries & Markets

Sandakan, Sabah

$258 26.7%

Kuala Lumpur

$274 25.5% 6.2% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Sandakan, Sabah

$118 12.2%

Kuala Lumpur

$131 12.2% 11.3% $13

Eating Out

Sandakan, Sabah

$113 11.7%

Kuala Lumpur

$130 12.1% 14.8% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sandakan, Sabah

$88 9.1%

Kuala Lumpur

$98 9.2% 12.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Sandakan, Sabah

$47 4.9%

Kuala Lumpur

$59 5.5% 25.5% $12

Getting Around

Sandakan, Sabah

$18 1.9%

Kuala Lumpur

$23 2.1% 23.8% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $685 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 20% higher in Kuala Lumpur. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $29 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $274 – making Sandakan, Sabah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Sandakan, Sabah

🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur

🕒 Local time

18:44 6:44 PM

Same time as Sandakan, Sabah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

439,050

1,982,112 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sandakan, Sabah Kuala Lumpur 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sandakan, Sabah
Kuala Lumpur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,453 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,611 in Kuala Lumpur. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $379 there versus $685 in Kuala Lumpur.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Sandakan, Sabah and $29 in Kuala Lumpur. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $968 in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,074 in Kuala Lumpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.