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: $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $3,723 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 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 MYR 9.82

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

-32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.83 MYR 77.0

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

-41.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.91

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

-7.58%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MYR 10.57

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

-8.16%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-49.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 MYR 14.10

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

-12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-51.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

-0.87%

Eggs

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.6

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

6.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 14.01

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

-18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 MYR 29.24

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-40.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.46

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

-29.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 MYR 13.21

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

15.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.09

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-41.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.57

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 17.02

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.39 MYR 71.1

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-34.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

-39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.27 Rp 4,821

151.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 49.04

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$0.45 Rp 8,180

155.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$0.46 Rp 8,311

123.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-41.86%

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

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

12.40%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-13.76%

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

$46.63 MYR 191

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-40.99%

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

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

-14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.79 MYR 97.2

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.28 MYR 148

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-63.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.53

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

-5.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.75

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

-28.43%

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

$94.8 MYR 388

$297 Rp 5.4M

-68.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

-33.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MYR 242

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

10.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 MYR 93.8

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 MYR 392

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,598

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-61.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,092

$680 Rp 12.3M

-60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,664

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-81.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 MYR 1,958

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-77.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 MYR 8,166

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-26.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 MYR 4,065

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

-56.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,215 MYR 4,965

$164 Rp 3.0M

642.22%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Sandakan, Sabah and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 642% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $298 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 66% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $1,392 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 642% 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 $1,020 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 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $94.8 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 $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,392 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 66% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.