Living in Sandakan
Sandakan is a city in Sabah, Malaysia, home to 439,050 people. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are young families (top 7%, #27 of 442), single parents (top 11%, #46 of 442), low-income families (top 12%, #49 of 442).
Residents439,050
Density– per km²
Area– km²
Hub airport229 km (Kota Kinabalu International)
Nearest city of 100k+Itself
Within 30 km449,000 people
Sea coast1 km
Terrain around itabout 0 m, height range 30 m
Main railway line225.6 km
Distance to Kuala Lumpur1,844 km
Within 10 km439,050 people
Greater areaGreater Sandakan, the core
LandscapeGreater Sunda Islands, Malay Archipelago
Winter daylight11 h 47 min, sunset 10:59
See Sandakan on the map
Open in NestlyzerGood to know about Sandakan
- The landscape belongs to the Greater Sunda Islands.
- It is right on the coast of the Sulu Sea.
- On the shortest day the sun is up for 11 h 47 min and sets around 10:59; in late June it sets around 12:23.
How Sandakan ranks
Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in Malaysia. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Regional overview: population, geography and modelled indicators for costs, schools and safety.
| Profile | Score | In Malaysia | In Sabah | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young family | 70 | #27 of 442 | #3 of 15 | Map |
| Low-income household | 77 | #99 of 497 | #2 of 27 | Map |
| Low-income family | 72 | #49 of 442 | #4 of 15 | Map |
| Single parent | 73 | #46 of 442 | #4 of 15 | Map |
| Pensioner couple | 73 | #152 of 442 | #5 of 15 | Map |
| Single pensioner | 73 | #221 of 442 | #5 of 15 | Map |
| Early retiree | 70 | #77 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Single professional | 75 | #92 of 384 | #2 of 10 | Map |
| Young professional | 77 | #89 of 370 | #2 of 9 | Map |
| DINKS | 75 | #98 of 300 | #2 of 8 | Map |
| Remote worker | 73 | #162 of 497 | #2 of 27 | Map |
| Commuter | 85 | #85 of 380 | #2 of 9 | Map |
| Car-free household | 82 | #64 of 323 | #2 of 8 | Map |
| Student | 0 | #186 of 214 | #6 of 7 | Map |
| First-home buyer | 74 | #106 of 442 | #2 of 15 | Map |
| Budget-constrained mover | 70 | #151 of 497 | #4 of 27 | Map |
| Urban lifestyle seeker | 75 | #63 of 344 | #2 of 8 | Map |
| Expat professional | 65 | #185 of 497 | #4 of 27 | Map |
| Healthcare-first mover | 71 | #151 of 442 | #4 of 15 | Map |
| Nature-focused household | 45 | #342 of 497 | #24 of 27 | Map |
| Cross-border commuter | not ranked: must-have: a border within 45 km where pay is higher on the other side | – | Map | |
| Outdoor and mountain lover | 37 | #266 of 497 | #26 of 27 | Map |
| Rural value seeker | 52 | #282 of 497 | #22 of 27 | Map |
| High-net-worth mover | 80 | #15 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Lottery winner | 71 | #116 of 497 | #3 of 27 | Map |
| Climate-resilient relocation | 43 | #451 of 497 | #23 of 27 | Map |
| Coastal living | 72 | #194 of 374 | #17 of 21 | Map |
| Business owner | 67 | #249 of 497 | #4 of 27 | Map |
| Digital native | 58 | #148 of 394 | #2 of 10 | Map |
Strengths and trade-offs
Nearby
- Taman Rajawali 10 km
- Kinabatangan 41 km
- Lahad Datu 94 km
- Kampung Kunak 129 km
- Semporna 161 km
- Ranau 161 km
- Kobang 168 km
- Bandau 169 km
Data: Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.