Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.42

$3.53 MYR 14.35

7.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 81.8

$25.07 MYR 102

-19.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.91

$4.93 MYR 20.05

-0.61%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.18

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-10.75%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.80 MYR 3.24

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.73

$0.39 MYR 1.57

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.00

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 18.18

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-26.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.27

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.22 MYR 4.95

24.59%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-26.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 MYR 55.2

$11.49 MYR 46.74

18.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$4.44 MYR 18.04

-2.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 MYR 40.53

$9.68 MYR 39.38

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 MYR 13.28

$3.36 MYR 13.69

-2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.20

$1.33 MYR 5.43

33.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.88

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-0.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.57 MYR 6.37

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.15 MYR 4.69

3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.55 MYR 2.25

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.36

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$21.20 MYR 86.2

-9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.63 MYR 2.58

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.63 MYR 51.4

$12.58 MYR 51.2

0.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.96 MYR 3.90

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.37

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-15.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-14.12%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

1.29%

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

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-4.51%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$35.37 MYR 144

40.43%

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

$9.87 MYR 40.13

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$24.25 MYR 98.7

17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 MYR 169

$30.72 MYR 125

35.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.80

$12.25 MYR 49.84

-46.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$4.91 MYR 19.96

0.20%

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

$176 MYR 715

$135 MYR 551

29.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-30.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$63.4 MYR 258

-3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 MYR 141

$37.96 MYR 154

-8.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 329

$90.7 MYR 369

-10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 MYR 284

$66.9 MYR 272

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$371 MYR 1,510

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,366

$240 MYR 977

39.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,886

$648 MYR 2,635

9.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$454 MYR 1,845

9.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,274

$2,112 MYR 8,593

-3.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,644

$1,552 MYR 6,313

-26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,246 MYR 5,068

$548 MYR 2,229

127.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.37

-3.89%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Sandakan, Sabah and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 127% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $273 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Sandakan, Sabah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $371 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $970 per month in Sandakan, Sabah versus $889 in Kuching – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $970 in Sandakan, Sabah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Sandakan, Sabah. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sandakan, Sabah, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sandakan, Sabah and Kuching are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Sandakan, Sabah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.