The average price of a 7-day trip to Downtown Kota Kinabalu is $1,196 for a solo traveler, $2,148 for a couple, and $4,027 for a family of 4. Downtown Kota Kinabalu hotels range from $22 to $161 per night with an average of $33, while most vacation rentals will cost $20 to $320 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) are between $763 and $1,326 per person for economy flights and $2,394 to $4,161 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $20 to $53 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu, MY
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to BKI and stay in a Downtown Kota Kinabalu hotel:
- February 12th to April 22nd
- August 20th to December 9th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Downtown Kota Kinabalu is usually mid to late September.
Average Downtown Kota Kinabalu Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $719-$1,796($103-$257 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $20 to $53 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $1,101 for economy
Lodging: $29 to $37 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $44 to $54 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $1,980-$3,718($283-$531 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $40 to $106 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $2,202 for economy
Lodging: $29 to $37 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $44 to $54 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,528-$6,374($361-$911 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $80 to $212 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $4,404 for economy
Lodging: $58 to $74 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $70 to $81 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Downtown Kota Kinabalu
How cheap can you make a vacation to Downtown Kota Kinabalu? The cheapest trip to Downtown Kota Kinabalu is about $85 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 12% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $19.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $596-$1,555($85-$222 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $11 to $22 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $1,101 for economy
Lodging: $19 to $22 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $50 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $1,078-$2,810($154-$401 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $22 to $44 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $2,202 for economy
Lodging: $19 to $22 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $50 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,096-$5,470($299-$781 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $44 to $88 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $4,404 for economy
Lodging: $38 to $44 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $28 to $75 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very easy to travel to Downtown Kota Kinabalu cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Downtown Kota Kinabalu Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Downtown Kota Kinabalu.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $1,568-$7,446($224-$1,064 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $36 to $106 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $944 to $3,248 for first class
Lodging: $62 to $161 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $320 to $576 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,764-$11,436($395-$1,634 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $72 to $212 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,888 to $6,496 for first class
Lodging: $62 to $161 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $320 to $576 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Downtown Kota Kinabalu for a week is $5,528-$21,144($790-$3,021 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $144 to $424 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,776 to $12,992 for first class
Lodging: $124 to $322 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $480 to $864 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Downtown Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Downtown Kota Kinabalu is much lower than the average city. On average vacation rentals are less expensive than hotels. Luxury hotels are more expensive in Downtown Kota Kinabalu due to hotel employees. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Downtown Kota Kinabalu Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Downtown Kota Kinabalu hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Downtown Kota Kinabalu.
Flight Costs to Downtown Kota Kinabalu
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,326 average in late January to a low of $763 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $572. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Downtown Kota Kinabalu our data includes 76 originating airports, and 93 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Downtown Kota Kinabalu from an airport like Henry E. Rohlsen (STX) in Christiansted, VI (the United States) for an average $7,141 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Miri (MYY) in Miri (Malaysia) at an average of just $46.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Wednesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Downtown Kota Kinabalu, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $563, so you can easily save about 74% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Downtown Kota Kinabalu can easily cost $170 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $11 per person. Private tours can cost $330 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.