Sand Prices Rise Up to 14.9% in July

Malaysia experienced a notable increase in the price of sand in July 2026, with the unit price index rising between 0.1% and 14.9%. The states of Terengganu and Kelantan recorded the highest surges. Other areas also saw increases, with Kota Kinabalu reporting a 4.1% rise and Penang, Kedah, and Perlis experiencing a 2.8% increase, according to data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Iron prices also saw a slight uptick, with the unit price index increasing between 0.6% and 0.9% compared to the previous month. Perak registered the highest rise at 0.9%, followed by Tawau at 0.7% and Sandakan at 0.6%. In most other regions of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, iron prices remained stable.

Similarly, the unit price index for cement increased between 0.2% and 0.8% in July 2026. Perak saw the largest increase at 0.8%, with Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan following at 0.3%, and Penang, Kedah, and Perlis at 0.2%. Cement prices were unchanged in many other areas across Malaysia.

Looking at year-on-year data, iron prices in July 2026 showed a substantial increase of 0.5% to 8.4% compared to the same month in the previous year, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. Perak led with an 8.4% increase, followed by Johor at 6.3% and Pahang at 4.8%. Cement prices also rose significantly year-on-year, ranging from 0.9% to 7.5%, with Perak again showing the highest increase at 7.5%, and Kuching and Miri at 7.2% each.

In terms of average prices, the cost of iron per metric ton slightly decreased by 0.2% to RM3,499.50 in July 2026 from RM3,507.10 in the prior month. The average price for Ordinary Portland cement remained steady at RM25.70 for a 50-kilogram bag. The Construction Material Cost Index (IKB), including steel bars, saw increases ranging from 0.1% to 1.4% in Peninsular Malaysia. In Sabah, the IKB rose between 0.2% and 0.5% for most building categories, while in Sarawak, it increased by 0.2% to 1.3% across all building categories.