The average price of a 7-day trip to Kota Kinabalu is $1,191 for a solo traveler, $2,139 for a couple, and $4,010 for a family of 4. Kota Kinabalu hotels range from $22 to $161 per night with an average of $33, while most vacation rentals will cost $130 to $380 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 $26 to $38 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 Kota Kinabalu, MY
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to BKI and stay in a Kota Kinabalu hotel:
- February 12th to April 22nd
- August 20th to December 9th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Kota Kinabalu is usually mid to late September.
Average Kota Kinabalu Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $761-$1,792($109-$256 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $26 to $38 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $1,154 for economy
Lodging: $29 to $37 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $51 to $62 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,064-$3,556($295-$508 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $52 to $76 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $2,308 for economy
Lodging: $29 to $37 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $51 to $62 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,696-$6,238($385-$891 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $104 to $152 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $4,616 for economy
Lodging: $58 to $74 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $77 to $93 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Kota Kinabalu
How cheap can you make a vacation to Kota Kinabalu? The cheapest trip to Kota Kinabalu is about $84 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 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 $18.
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 Kota Kinabalu for a week is $590-$1,614($84-$231 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $11 to $22 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $1,154 for economy
Lodging: $18 to $22 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $51 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $1,072-$2,922($153-$417 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $22 to $44 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $2,308 for economy
Lodging: $18 to $22 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $51 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,120-$5,658($303-$808 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $44 to $88 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $4,616 for economy
Lodging: $36 to $44 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $32 to $71 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very easy to travel to Kota Kinabalu cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury 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 Kota Kinabalu.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $1,630-$8,132($233-$1,162 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $49 to $80 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $915 to $3,012 for first class
Lodging: $62 to $161 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $2,888-$11,704($413-$1,672 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $98 to $160 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,830 to $6,024 for first class
Lodging: $62 to $161 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Kota Kinabalu for a week is $5,776-$21,128($825-$3,018 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $196 to $320 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,660 to $12,048 for first class
Lodging: $124 to $322 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $608 to $1,140 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Kota Kinabalu is much lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Kota Kinabalu due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
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 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 many options for vacation rentals across many price ranges in Kota Kinabalu.
Flight Costs to 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 Kota Kinabalu our data includes 76 originating airports, and 93 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to 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 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 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 $335 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.