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 $838 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,292 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,747 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,758 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 37% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 MYR 9.82

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-31.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.83 MYR 77.0

$19.15 MYR 78.3

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.91

$4.78 MYR 19.54

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MYR 10.57

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-6.83%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$3.61 MYR 14.77

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 MYR 14.10

$4.93 MYR 20.15

-30.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$1.92 MYR 7.83

-13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$0.93 MYR 3.81

29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-36.31%

Eggs

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.20 MYR 8.98

25.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.6

$10.52 MYR 43.01

45.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 14.01

$3.41 MYR 13.93

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 MYR 29.24

$8.28 MYR 33.84

-13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.46

$2.65 MYR 10.84

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.68 MYR 6.88

-29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$2.53 MYR 10.33

27.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.09

$1.20 MYR 4.91

65.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.18 MYR 4.81

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.57

$0.96 MYR 3.93

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 17.02

$4.20 MYR 17.18

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.39 MYR 71.1

$19.92 MYR 81.4

-12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$2.78 MYR 11.36

-31.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$3.97 MYR 16.21

-57.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 49.04

$11.59 MYR 47.38

3.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.02 MYR 4.16

12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$0.33 MYR 1.34

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$9.42 MYR 38.49

-35.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

-3.70%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

-0.64%

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

$46.63 MYR 191

$40.45 MYR 165

15.28%

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

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$9.18 MYR 37.52

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.79 MYR 97.2

$22.64 MYR 92.5

5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.28 MYR 148

$37.27 MYR 152

-2.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.53

$7.35 MYR 30.02

-18.37%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.75

$4.88 MYR 19.96

-41.19%

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

$94.8 MYR 388

$208 MYR 851

-54.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-45.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$48.20 MYR 197

22.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 MYR 93.8

$34.63 MYR 142

-33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$54.0 MYR 221

32.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 MYR 392

$49.14 MYR 201

95.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,598

$460 MYR 1,882

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,092

$340 MYR 1,390

-21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,664

$826 MYR 3,378

-21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 MYR 1,958

$538 MYR 2,198

-10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 MYR 8,166

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-35.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 MYR 4,065

$204 MYR 835

386.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,215 MYR 4,965

$1,764 MYR 7,210

-31.13%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $460 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 45% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $236 – 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 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 $1,257 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,367 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 4% less in Sandakan, Sabah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.8 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $208 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 $838 in Sandakan, Sabah and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $838 versus $912 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.