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: $844 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,761 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Sandakan, Sabah is 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.05

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

-33.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 73.7

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

-43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.13

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

-9.65%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

-8.87%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

-49.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

-64.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MYR 9.37

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

-20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.70

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

-11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 6.92

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.68

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

-52.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

-0.83%

Eggs

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

23.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 MYR 59.6

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 MYR 13.86

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

-19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.09 MYR 28.00

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

-41.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.37

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

-31.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 12.68

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

18.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

-14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-35.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

-40.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.42

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.88

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

-37.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MYR 66.6

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

-27.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

-32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.39

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

-40.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.29 Rp 5,022

137.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 47.43

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.73

$0.49 Rp 8,344

144.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$0.45 Rp 7,812

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.03

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

-7.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

-41.18%

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

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

13.03%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

-10.60%

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

$47.91 MYR 189

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

-39.94%

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

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

-13.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 MYR 92.4

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

-2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 148

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-61.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.81

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

-7.66%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.09

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

-31.96%

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

$93.4 MYR 369

$297 Rp 5.1M

-68.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

-32.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 MYR 91.4

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

-40.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 284

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

-19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MYR 369

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,525

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

-62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,056

$660 Rp 11.3M

-59.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,515

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

-81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,835

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

-77.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MYR 6,267

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

-46.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 MYR 3,705

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

-60.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MYR 3,008

$172 Rp 3.0M

342.58%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 343% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Sandakan, Sabah vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $299 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 67% in total monthly costs ($844 vs $1,408 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 343% 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: $386 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,018 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 42% 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 $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $844 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,408 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 67% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.