Which place is cheaper, Kota Kinabalu or Agra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Agra or Kota Kinabalu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Agra or Kota Kinabalu, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Agra or Kota Kinabalu?
Agra
In the north of India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh is the city of Agra. This land is home to great tales of emperors and majestic temples. It is the home to a magnificent past and the greatest symbol of love known to man, the Taj Mahal.
While this incredible structure is the main draw to this area, there is much more to see. Once the capital of the Mughal Empire, Agra can claim three different UNESCO World Heritage sites - the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikiri.
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu, originally Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, which is on the northern part of the island of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu is located just between the western side of the island and Tambunan Rafflesia Forest Reserve. Most of Kota Kinabalu's historic buildings were destroyed by bombing during World War II, so the city had to be rebuilt. KK, as it's commonly called, is a compact, but booming town today, with its new shopping centers, seaside condominiums, and bustling marketplaces.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAgra $44Kota Kinabalu $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Agra is $44, while the average daily cost in Kota Kinabalu is $49. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Agra and Kota Kinabalu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAgra $16Kota Kinabalu $18
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAgra $32Kota Kinabalu $36
Compare Hotels in Agra and Kota Kinabalu
Looking for a hotel in Agra or Kota Kinabalu? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Agra Hotel Prices and Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Agra $10Kota Kinabalu $22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Agra
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Agra:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$0.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Agra
Also for Agra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Pickup/Dropoff Taj Mahal/Airport/hotel transfer: $1.20
- From Delhi/Taj Mahal & Agra Day Trip with Transfers: $3.60
- Delhi: Same Day Taj Mahal, Agra Tour with Pickup & Transfer.: $4.20
- Sunrise Taj Mahal and Agra Fort Half-Day Tour with Transfer: $5.40
- Airport Transfer with Pickup and Drop-off: $5.40
- Private Transfer from Agra railway station to Hotel In Agra: $5.50
- Private Sunrise Taj Mahal Tour With Guide & Transfer: $5.92
- Round Trip Transfers Between Agra Hotels & Agra Airport AGR: $6.14
- Taj Mahal Tour with Car, Tour Guide & Hotel Transfers: $9.95
- From Delhi: Taj Mahal & Agra Private Day Trip with Transfers: $11
- From Delhi: Taj Mahal Agra Day Trip with Guide & Transfer: $12
- Private Taj Mahal and Agra Day Tour with Transfer: $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52
- Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
- Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI: $32
- Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI): $28
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $28
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
- Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Agra or Kota Kinabalu?
Prices for flights to both Kota Kinabalu and Agra change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAgra $16Kota Kinabalu $15
Typical Food Prices in Agra
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Agra:
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Breakfast for Two$2.15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Agra
For Agra, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agra best Cooking class after Taj Mahal: $6.00
- Street Food Tour with Spice Market on Tuk-Tuk: $12
- Home Hosted Luch or dinner by Indian local Family: $18
- Agra Heritage Walk with Food Tour: $20
- Local Food Tour with Cooking Class in Home Agra Including Lunch or Dinner: $20
- Indian Food Private Cooking Class: $22
- Cooking Class and Dine with a Local Family: $23
- Old City Food Tour with Local Guide and Tastings: $23
- The Spirit of Agra - Old Market Walking and Food Tour: $26
- Cooking classes Tour Including Pickup And Dropping To Hotel: $28
- Cooking Workshop and Vegetarian Dinner in Agra with Family: $30
- Agra's best cooking classes: $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kota Kinabalu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kota Kinabalu.
- Private Kinabalu Night Tour with Cultural Show and Dinner: $62
- Kota Kinabalu K2 Fireflies Sunset River Cruise Tour with Dinner: $86
- Half Day Klias Mangrove Wildlife and Fireflies with dinner: $128
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Agra $20Kota Kinabalu $5.67
Typical Entertainment Prices in Agra
For Agra, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entry to the Red Fort for Two$7.18
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Taj Mahal for Two$18
Tours and Activities in Agra
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Agra.
- From New Delhi: Private Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Tour by Car: $0.12
- Mughal Carpet Co. Agra :- Handmade Carpet Demonstration Tour: $0.84
- Handmade Marble Demonstration Tour: $1.02
- Taj Mahal Skip-the-Line Entry Guided Tour: $1.19
- Agra:Taj Mahal Skip-The-Line Guided Tour with Free Breakfast: $1.20
- Agra : Taj Mahal tour with guide: $1.20
- Skip-the-line entry ticket on Taj Mahal tour: $1.20
- Private Taj Mahal Skip-The-Line Tour: $1.80
- Skip-the-Line Taj Mahal Guided Tour with Multi Options: $1.86
- Sunset Taj Mahal Tour with Skip-The-Line & Lateral Entry: $2.04
- Taj Mahal and Mausoleum Tour with Skip-the-Line Entry: $2.10
- Agra/Delhi/Jaipur: Taj Mahal Skip-the-Line Tour with Options: $2.10
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise: $46
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Borneo Combo Adventure: $200
- Cowboy Town & Fireflies River Cruise: $62
- Cultural Night Tour From Kota Kinabalu : $64
- Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour: $149
- Discover Sailing Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $75
- From Kota Kinabalu : Kiulu River White Water Rafting Tour: $131
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $40
- Full Day River Rafting with ATV Adventure in Kiulu : $293
- Full Day Tour in Mantanani: $140
- Indigenous Weaving Experience: $236
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAgra $9.63Kota Kinabalu $6.34
When comparing the travel costs between Agra and Kota Kinabalu, we can see that Kota Kinabalu is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Agra Expensive? and Is Kota Kinabalu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Agra or Kota Kinabalu?
Agra has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Agra and Kota Kinabalu, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.