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: $836 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,723 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,310 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 38% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.50

$4.56 ฿149

-48.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.0

$46.63 ฿1,519

-59.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$8.47 ฿276

-45.10%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.55

$3.03 ฿98.6

-14.19%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.69 ฿22.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.37 ฿11.92

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MYR 9.33

$2.49 ฿81.0

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.09

$3.66 ฿119

-4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.98

$2.18 ฿71.0

-21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.90 ฿62.0

-34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$2.20 ฿71.6

-47.73%

Eggs

$2.79 MYR 11.31

$2.22 ฿72.4

25.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 MYR 62.1

$19.99 ฿651

-23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.66

$3.66 ฿119

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 MYR 27.97

$13.25 ฿432

-47.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.44

$3.23 ฿105

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.70 ฿55.3

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.35

$2.39 ฿78.0

37.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.11

$2.08 ฿67.7

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.18

$1.48 ฿48.31

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.37

$1.03 ฿33.54

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.52 ฿16.83

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.01

$4.25 ฿138

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.37 MYR 82.6

$18.79 ฿612

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.76 ฿57.2

8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$2.76 ฿89.8

-41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$1.36 ฿44.32

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.01

$11.36 ฿370

2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$3.14 ฿102

-63.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.04 ฿33.74

-0.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 MYR 23.77

$13.77 ฿448

-57.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.34 ฿43.79

-65.67%

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

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

4.80%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-16.70%

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

$47.00 MYR 191

$124 ฿4,025

-61.97%

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

$3.56 MYR 14.43

$13.52 ฿440

-73.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.54 MYR 95.5

$18.69 ฿609

25.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 152

$61.8 ฿2,013

-39.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.50

$17.25 ฿562

-66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$9.14 ฿298

-69.47%

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

$93.4 MYR 379

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-71.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 241

$59.5 ฿1,937

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.40 MYR 90.8

$35.07 ฿1,142

-36.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 MYR 283

$115 ฿3,754

-39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 MYR 380

$84.1 ฿2,737

11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$619 ฿20.1K

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,113

$433 ฿14.1K

-36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-69.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,042 MYR 8,280

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-43.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,217

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-60.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,225 MYR 4,968

$507 ฿16.5K

141.62%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Sandakan, Sabah and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 142% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $293 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.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 142% more on average, 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: $387 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $93.4 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $836 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,261 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.