Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,723 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah is about 8% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 38% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.50

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-35.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.0

$18.88 MYR 76.6

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.55

$2.71 MYR 10.99

-4.06%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.68 MYR 2.74

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MYR 9.33

$3.51 MYR 14.24

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.09

$4.96 MYR 20.10

-29.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.98

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$0.95 MYR 3.85

30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-33.91%

Eggs

$2.79 MYR 11.31

$2.16 MYR 8.75

29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 MYR 62.1

$10.81 MYR 43.82

41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.66

$3.56 MYR 14.45

1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 MYR 27.97

$7.94 MYR 32.21

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.44

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-34.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.35

$2.47 MYR 10.04

33.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.11

$1.21 MYR 4.89

65.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.15 MYR 4.65

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.18

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.37

$0.94 MYR 3.83

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.01

$4.13 MYR 16.74

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.37 MYR 82.6

$19.45 MYR 78.9

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$2.74 MYR 11.09

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-57.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.01

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-3.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.99 MYR 4.00

16.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.32 MYR 1.32

221.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 MYR 23.77

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-37.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.47 MYR 1.90

-2.13%

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

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

-7.30%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

0.16%

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

$47.00 MYR 191

$40.93 MYR 166

14.83%

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

$3.56 MYR 14.43

$8.87 MYR 35.97

-59.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.54 MYR 95.5

$23.16 MYR 93.9

1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 152

$36.87 MYR 149

1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.50

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-19.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-44.31%

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

$93.4 MYR 379

$209 MYR 849

-55.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-45.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 241

$48.47 MYR 197

22.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.40 MYR 90.8

$33.99 MYR 138

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 MYR 283

$53.9 MYR 219

29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 MYR 380

$48.57 MYR 197

92.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$471 MYR 1,911

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,113

$347 MYR 1,407

-20.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$817 MYR 3,311

-22.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$543 MYR 2,200

-14.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,042 MYR 8,280

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-35.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,217

$210 MYR 851

395.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,225 MYR 4,968

$1,742 MYR 7,066

-29.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

-33.18%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. 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 42% higher in Petaling Jaya, 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 $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $236 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya 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 Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Sandakan, Sabah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,364 in Petaling Jaya. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $93.4 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $209 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Sandakan, Sabah and $909 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $836 versus $909 in Petaling Jaya. 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 Sandakan, Sabah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.