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 $970 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,060 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,503 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,907 per month in Sandakan, Sabah vs $1,946 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

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

Both Sandakan, Sabah and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower, Petaling Jaya 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.42

$3.62 MYR 14.74

4.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 81.8

$24.90 MYR 101

-19.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.91

$4.81 MYR 19.58

1.87%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.18

$3.11 MYR 12.66

-3.86%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$0.86 MYR 3.52

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.73

$0.42 MYR 1.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.00

$3.24 MYR 13.20

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 18.18

$5.89 MYR 23.96

-24.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.88 MYR 7.65

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.27

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.44 MYR 5.85

5.56%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$1.86 MYR 7.58

1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 MYR 55.2

$10.14 MYR 41.27

33.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$3.21 MYR 13.07

34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 MYR 40.53

$9.53 MYR 38.75

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 MYR 13.28

$3.42 MYR 13.91

-4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.20

$1.87 MYR 7.59

-5.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.88

$2.65 MYR 10.80

-8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$2.16 MYR 8.77

-38.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$2.04 MYR 8.30

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.46 MYR 5.92

-17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.55 MYR 2.25

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.36

$4.49 MYR 18.28

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$18.91 MYR 76.9

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$2.66 MYR 10.84

13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$4.64 MYR 18.88

-19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.63 MYR 51.4

$12.30 MYR 50.0

2.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$1.23 MYR 5.00

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.36 MYR 1.45

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.37

$9.06 MYR 36.84

-17.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-1.35%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

$41.4K MYR 168.5K

3.86%

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

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

$32.8K MYR 133.4K

6.94%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$49.97 MYR 203

-0.60%

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

$9.87 MYR 40.13

$8.26 MYR 33.61

19.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$26.91 MYR 109

5.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 MYR 169

$53.3 MYR 217

-21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.80

$3.16 MYR 12.87

108.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$4.87 MYR 19.82

1.03%

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

$176 MYR 715

$281 MYR 1,144

-37.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

$10.5K MYR 42.7K

-52.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$52.0 MYR 212

17.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 MYR 141

$30.01 MYR 122

15.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 329

$79.3 MYR 323

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 MYR 284

$85.3 MYR 347

-18.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$494 MYR 2,008

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,366

$413 MYR 1,680

-18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,886

$847 MYR 3,447

-16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$552 MYR 2,245

-9.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,274

$3,224 MYR 13.1K

-36.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,644

$951 MYR 3,868

20.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,246 MYR 5,068

$1,759 MYR 7,157

-29.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.51

-6.87%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $494 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 41% 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 $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $25.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $249 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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,455 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,590 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 $176 per month in Sandakan, Sabah and $281 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandakan, Sabah, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,060. In Sandakan, Sabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandakan, Sabah costs $970 versus $1,060 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.