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: $844 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $854 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,396 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,761 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,938 in Penang.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah costs roughly 1% less than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.05

$3.03 MYR 11.97

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 73.7

$21.23 MYR 83.9

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.13

$4.12 MYR 16.28

11.41%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$2.95 MYR 11.64

-12.88%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.34 MYR 1.33

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MYR 9.37

$4.46 MYR 17.63

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$4.52 MYR 17.87

-23.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 6.92

$1.84 MYR 7.26

-4.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.68

$1.02 MYR 4.04

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$2.02 MYR 7.99

-40.59%

Eggs

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$2.11 MYR 8.32

36.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 MYR 59.6

$16.98 MYR 67.1

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 MYR 13.86

$5.17 MYR 20.41

-32.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.09 MYR 28.00

$14.61 MYR 57.7

-51.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.37

$2.93 MYR 11.56

-10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.45 MYR 5.73

-22.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 12.68

$2.68 MYR 10.57

19.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-12.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.15 MYR 4.53

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.22 MYR 4.83

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.42

$0.97 MYR 3.83

15.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.88

$0.48 MYR 1.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$4.14 MYR 16.35

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MYR 66.6

$19.42 MYR 76.7

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$2.63 MYR 10.40

-27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.39

$3.53 MYR 13.94

-54.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.48 MYR 1.91

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 47.43

$17.59 MYR 69.5

-31.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.73

$0.72 MYR 2.86

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$0.54 MYR 2.13

85.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.03

$7.28 MYR 28.74

-19.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.49 MYR 1.94

2.04%

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

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

-12.72%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

$27.5K MYR 108.7K

2.41%

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

$47.91 MYR 189

$38.68 MYR 153

23.86%

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

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$10.06 MYR 39.73

-64.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 MYR 92.4

$31.12 MYR 123

-24.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 148

$32.54 MYR 129

15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.81

$5.65 MYR 22.32

6.73%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.09

$5.04 MYR 19.89

-44.25%

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

$93.4 MYR 369

$236 MYR 931

-60.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

$6,202 MYR 24.5K

-27.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$54.4 MYR 215

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 MYR 91.4

$29.20 MYR 115

-20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 284

$62.4 MYR 247

15.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MYR 369

$53.1 MYR 210

75.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,525

$381 MYR 1,503

1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,056

$225 MYR 890

18.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,515

$643 MYR 2,539

-0.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,835

$516 MYR 2,036

-9.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MYR 6,267

$2,303 MYR 9,095

-31.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 MYR 3,705

$1,192 MYR 4,709

-21.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MYR 3,008

$960 MYR 3,792

-20.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

-27.88%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: April 21, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Sandakan, Sabah and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 26% 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: $19 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $21 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $285 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandakan, Sabah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 26% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sandakan, Sabah – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $21.00 in Penang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Sandakan, Sabah versus $854 in Penang – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sandakan, Sabah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Sandakan, Sabah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Penang, 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 Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Penang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.