Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah costs roughly 34% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 MYR 9.82

$4.48 ฿150

-46.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.83 MYR 77.0

$45.59 ฿1,525

-58.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.91

$8.76 ฿293

-47.15%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MYR 10.57

$2.97 ฿99.3

-12.79%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.69 ฿22.96

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.39 ฿13.07

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$2.53 ฿84.7

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 MYR 14.10

$3.75 ฿125

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$2.15 ฿71.8

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.82 ฿60.7

-34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$2.18 ฿73.1

-47.71%

Eggs

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.25 ฿75.2

22.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.6

$20.00 ฿669

-23.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 14.01

$3.63 ฿121

-5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 MYR 29.24

$13.56 ฿453

-47.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.46

$3.24 ฿109

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.64 ฿54.7

-28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$2.33 ฿78.0

38.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.09

$2.07 ฿69.3

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.55 ฿51.8

-23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.46 ฿48.67

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.57

$0.98 ฿32.94

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.48 ฿16.13

-2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 17.02

$4.35 ฿146

-4.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.39 MYR 71.1

$18.57 ฿621

-6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$1.86 ฿62.1

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.65 ฿88.8

-36.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.42 ฿47.40

-52.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 49.04

$11.57 ฿387

3.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$3.17 ฿106

-63.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$1.03 ฿34.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$13.89 ฿465

-56.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.34 ฿44.96

-62.69%

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

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

7.53%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-15.91%

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

$46.63 MYR 191

$123 ฿4,116

-62.10%

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

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$13.77 ฿461

-74.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.79 MYR 97.2

$18.33 ฿613

29.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.28 MYR 148

$60.7 ฿2,030

-40.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.53

$17.16 ฿574

-65.03%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.75

$8.87 ฿297

-67.64%

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

$94.8 MYR 388

$688 ฿23.0K

-86.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-72.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$59.3 ฿1,984

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 MYR 93.8

$34.69 ฿1,160

-33.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$115 ฿3,853

-37.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 MYR 392

$83.8 ฿2,802

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,598

$621 ฿20.8K

-37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,092

$446 ฿14.9K

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,664

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 MYR 1,958

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-67.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 MYR 8,166

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-42.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 MYR 4,065

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,215 MYR 4,965

$494 ฿16.5K

146.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-43.71%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Sandakan, Sabah and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 146% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $291 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandakan, Sabah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 146% higher in Sandakan, Sabah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $391 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.8 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sandakan, Sabah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sandakan, Sabah and Phuket 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 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.