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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah is roughly 15% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.42

$3.73 MYR 15.18

1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 81.8

$20.03 MYR 81.5

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.91

$4.83 MYR 19.66

1.45%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.18

$2.94 MYR 11.95

1.70%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.71 MYR 2.90

12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.73

$0.39 MYR 1.60

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.00

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 18.18

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.79 MYR 7.26

3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.27

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-12.14%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 MYR 55.2

$13.37 MYR 54.4

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$4.37 MYR 17.78

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 MYR 40.53

$9.00 MYR 36.60

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 MYR 13.28

$2.87 MYR 11.67

13.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.20

$1.70 MYR 6.90

4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.88

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$1.46 MYR 5.94

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.13 MYR 4.58

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.17 MYR 4.77

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.11 MYR 4.51

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.36

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$2.91 MYR 11.85

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-6.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.48 MYR 1.94

60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.63 MYR 51.4

$12.28 MYR 49.95

2.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-25.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.42 MYR 1.70

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.37

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-13.10%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

3.41%

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

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

0.94%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$37.45 MYR 152

32.63%

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

$9.87 MYR 40.13

$9.83 MYR 40.01

0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$29.72 MYR 121

-4.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 MYR 169

$38.51 MYR 157

8.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.80

$4.81 MYR 19.57

37.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-7.34%

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

$176 MYR 715

$435 MYR 1,769

-59.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$60.3 MYR 245

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 MYR 141

$34.72 MYR 141

-0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 329

$85.3 MYR 347

-5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 MYR 284

$70.8 MYR 288

-1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$399 MYR 1,623

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,366

$228 MYR 928

47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,886

$591 MYR 2,406

19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$417 MYR 1,694

19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,274

$2,235 MYR 9,094

-9.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,644

$1,068 MYR 4,346

6.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,246 MYR 5,068

$923 MYR 3,754

35.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.24

-0.94%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Sandakan, Sabah and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 35% 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 $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $259 vs $255, with Penang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% 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 $399 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 $846 in Penang – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $970 in Sandakan, Sabah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Sandakan, Sabah. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang 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 Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Sandakan, Sabah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.