Which place is cheaper, Kota Kinabalu or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Koh Lipe and Kota Kinabalu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu?
Koh Lipe
Ko Lipe used to be one of Thailand's most gorgeous hidden treasures. While it's still breathtaking, it's certainly not hidden anymore. With a small community of approximately 700 chow lair, or sea gypsies, this region is doing its best to maintain the beauty of its culture and beaches despite the influx of tourism. The rapid development has seen additions of concrete cafes and travel agencies. There are still rich, cultural gems to find in Ko Lipe - you just have to be willing to wander.
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 Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Kota Kinabalu $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, 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 Koh Lipe and Kota Kinabalu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Kota Kinabalu $18
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Kota Kinabalu $36
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Kota Kinabalu
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe 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: Koh Lipe Hotel Prices and Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Kota Kinabalu $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Lipe
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Koh Lipe:
- Private Transfer Pak Bara Pier to Hatyai Airport by Van: $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
- One Way Transfer from Kota Kinabal Airport to/from Kota Kinabali: $25
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $28
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI): $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu?
Prices for flights to both Kota Kinabalu and Koh Lipe 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 dayKoh Lipe $26Kota Kinabalu $15
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
- Ethnic Cooking Class & Upside Down House & 3D Wonders Museum: $92
- Half Day Klias Mangrove Wildlife and Fireflies with dinner: $144
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $187
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Kota Kinabalu $5.67
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Tour Sunset Cruise Around Lipe: $15
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $21
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $24
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $25
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $111
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Kota Kinabalu Historical Photo Walking Tour: $37
- Private Half Day Kota Kinabalu City Tour: $38
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $40
- Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise: $46
- Private Guided E-Foil Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $47
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Kota Kinabalu City Tour: $54
- Mari-Mari Cultural Village Tour Including Lunch: $55
- Klias Wildlife Safari River Cruise from Kota Kinabalu: $58
- Cowboy Town & Fireflies River Cruise: $62
- Cultural Night Tour From Kota Kinabalu : $64
- Sunset Charter Cruise Experience in Kota Kinabalu: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Kota Kinabalu $6.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Kota Kinabalu, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Kota Kinabalu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kota Kinabalu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kota Kinabalu and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Koh Lipe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Lipe than you might in Kota Kinabalu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Koh Lipe Expensive? and Is Kota Kinabalu Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Lipe and Kota Kinabalu. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Lipe year-round. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Lipe gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Koh Lipe usually receives around the same amount of rain as Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Kota Kinabalu receives 255 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In July, Koh Lipe is generally around the same temperature as Kota Kinabalu. Daily temperatures in Koh Lipe average around 27°C (81°F), and Kota Kinabalu fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Kota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Koh Lipe as well as Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kota Kinabalu throughout the year.
Also, December to April in Koh Lipe is the dry season. May to October in Koh Lipe is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Lipe usually gets less rain in October than Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Kota Kinabalu receives 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Kota Kinabalu in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Lipe averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Kota Kinabalu fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Kota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu in the Winter?
Both Kota Kinabalu and Koh Lipe are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Lipe throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Kota Kinabalu because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. In January, Koh Lipe usually receives less rain than Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Kota Kinabalu receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
In the winter, Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Kota Kinabalu. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Lipe in January average around 27°C (80°F), and Kota Kinabalu averages at about 26°C (79°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Lipe 27°C (80°F)Kota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Kota Kinabalu in the Spring?
Both Kota Kinabalu and Koh Lipe during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Lipe because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round.
December to April is the dry season in Koh Lipe. May to October is the rainy season in Koh Lipe. Kota Kinabalu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Lipe. Koh Lipe usually gets more rain in April than Kota Kinabalu. Koh Lipe gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Kota Kinabalu receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
In April, Koh Lipe is generally around the same temperature as Kota Kinabalu. Daily temperatures in Koh Lipe average around 29°C (85°F), and Kota Kinabalu fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Lipe 29°C (85°F)Kota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Kota Kinabalu and Koh Lipe
| Koh Lipe | Kota Kinabalu | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (80°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 244 mm (9.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 262 mm (10.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 355 mm (14 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 204 mm (8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) |
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.