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 $844 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $899 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,303 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,342 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,761 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,785 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Sandakan, Sabah is about 6% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower, Petaling Jaya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.05

$3.52 MYR 13.92

-34.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 73.7

$18.58 MYR 73.4

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.13

$4.84 MYR 19.11

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$2.82 MYR 11.12

-8.87%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.68 MYR 2.67

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.37 MYR 1.45

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MYR 9.37

$3.47 MYR 13.70

-31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$5.18 MYR 20.48

-33.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 6.92

$1.86 MYR 7.33

-5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.68

$1.01 MYR 4.00

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$1.78 MYR 7.03

-32.58%

Eggs

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$2.25 MYR 8.90

28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 MYR 59.6

$10.59 MYR 41.85

42.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 MYR 13.86

$3.48 MYR 13.75

0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.09 MYR 28.00

$8.07 MYR 31.86

-12.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.37

$2.76 MYR 10.89

-5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.66 MYR 6.57

-32.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 12.68

$2.57 MYR 10.17

24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.26 MYR 4.99

51.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.19 MYR 4.71

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.33 MYR 5.25

-3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.42

$0.89 MYR 3.53

25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.88

$0.59 MYR 2.31

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$4.28 MYR 16.90

-2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MYR 66.6

$20.59 MYR 81.4

-18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$2.78 MYR 10.98

-30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.39

$3.92 MYR 15.47

-58.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.76 MYR 3.02

-9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 47.43

$11.94 MYR 47.15

0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.73

$1.03 MYR 4.06

16.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$0.35 MYR 1.38

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.03

$9.37 MYR 37.00

-37.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.46 MYR 1.81

8.70%

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

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

-5.66%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

$27.7K MYR 109.3K

1.90%

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

$47.91 MYR 189

$40.62 MYR 160

17.95%

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

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$8.98 MYR 35.48

-60.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 MYR 92.4

$22.64 MYR 89.4

3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 148

$37.04 MYR 146

1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.81

$7.22 MYR 28.50

-16.48%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.09

$4.98 MYR 19.68

-43.57%

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

$93.4 MYR 369

$211 MYR 834

-55.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

$8,220 MYR 32.5K

-45.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$48.46 MYR 191

23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 MYR 91.4

$34.25 MYR 135

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 284

$53.3 MYR 211

34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MYR 369

$48.81 MYR 193

91.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,525

$461 MYR 1,823

-16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,056

$337 MYR 1,330

-20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,515

$831 MYR 3,284

-23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,835

$540 MYR 2,133

-14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MYR 6,267

$3,320 MYR 13.1K

-52.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 MYR 3,705

$215 MYR 851

335.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MYR 3,008

$1,810 MYR 7,149

-57.93%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $461 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 138% 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 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $19 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $238 – making Sandakan, Sabah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 6% 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 $1,266 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,348 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 1% 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 $211 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 $844 in Sandakan, Sabah and $899 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $844 versus $899 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.