Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandakan, Sabah and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah costs roughly 30% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sandakan, Sabah is 30% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.42

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

13.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 81.8

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.91

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

-12.97%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.18

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

6.03%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.73

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.00

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MYR 18.18

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

3.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.56

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.27

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-53.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

29.91%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 MYR 55.2

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 MYR 40.53

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 MYR 13.28

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.20

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.88

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-27.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.54 Rp 9,560

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.36

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

96.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.22

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.25 Rp 4,365

208.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.63 MYR 51.4

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

34.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.49 Rp 8,631

157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.47 Rp 8,349

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MYR 30.37

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-9.88%

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

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

72.00%

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

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

12.90%

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

$49.67 MYR 202

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-39.95%

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

$9.87 MYR 40.13

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

52.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

51.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 MYR 169

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-24.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 MYR 26.80

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-63.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

14.42%

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

$176 MYR 715

$494 Rp 8.7M

-64.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-15.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

32.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 MYR 141

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MYR 329

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 MYR 284

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-62.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,366

$693 Rp 12.2M

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,886

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-80.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,023

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-70.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,274

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-26.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,644

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-50.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,246 MYR 5,068

$167 Rp 2.9M

645.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

13.78

-69.52%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 646% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $294 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandakan, Sabah and Ubud, Bali differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($970 vs $1,378 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 646% 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: $423 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $176 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $494 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sandakan, Sabah and Ubud, Bali 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 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.