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: $836 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,723 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sandakan, Sabah costs roughly 40% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sandakan, Sabah is 38% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.50

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.0

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-41.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

-4.32%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.55

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-5.45%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MYR 9.33

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.09

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.98

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-49.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.79 MYR 11.31

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 MYR 62.1

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

6.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.66

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-16.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 MYR 27.97

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.44

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-30.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.35

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

17.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.11

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-14.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-38.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.18

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-44.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.37

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.01

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

27.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.37 MYR 82.6

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-41.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.29 Rp 5,217

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.01

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

43.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$0.45 Rp 8,047

155.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.45 Rp 8,094

128.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 MYR 23.77

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-6.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-45.88%

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

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

11.65%

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

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-10.90%

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

$47.00 MYR 191

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-41.80%

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

$3.56 MYR 14.43

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

-12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.54 MYR 95.5

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-3.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 152

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-61.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.50

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

-10.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-30.94%

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

$93.4 MYR 379

$304 Rp 5.4M

-69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-32.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 241

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.40 MYR 90.8

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-42.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 MYR 283

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 MYR 380

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$986 Rp 17.7M

-60.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,113

$658 Rp 11.8M

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-81.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-77.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,042 MYR 8,280

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-25.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,217

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-53.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,225 MYR 4,968

$163 Rp 2.9M

649.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-77.41%

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

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Sandakan, Sabah and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 650% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $297 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 68% in total monthly costs ($836 vs $1,404 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 650% 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 $986 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 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.4 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $836 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,404 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 68% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.