Which place is cheaper, Dunedin or Kota Kinabalu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin?
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.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $49Dunedin $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $49, while the average daily cost in Dunedin is $102. 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 Kota Kinabalu and Dunedin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $18Dunedin $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $36Dunedin $104
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Dunedin
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin? 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: Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices and Dunedin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $22Dunedin $27
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Cruise Port to Dunedin City Hotels: $44
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Port to Dunedin Airport (DUD): $44
- Dunedin Int Airport(DUD) to Dunedin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Momona Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Momona: $90
- ONE WAY MOMONA: Transfer from /to Dunedin Airport: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin?
Prices for flights to both Dunedin and Kota Kinabalu 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 dayKota Kinabalu $15Dunedin $29
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.Kota Kinabalu $5.67Dunedin $17
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
Tours and Activities in Dunedin
Here are a few actual costs in Dunedin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dunedin Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Dunedin Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour: $15
- Quickie Tours 1 Hour City Sights Tour CRUISE PASSENGERS ONLY: $24
- Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket: $27
- Heritage Dunedin City Walking Guided Tour: $30
- Garden and City tour: $36
- Monarch Wildlife Cruise: $38
- Shore Excursion: V8 Trike, Peninsula and City Tour: $48
- Larnach Castle & Gardens Tour from Dunedin: $49
- Nature and City Tour: $54
- A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour: $57
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $6.34Dunedin $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dunedin:
- Speight Brewery Small Group Guided Tour from Dunedin: $21
- Emerson's Brewery Tour: $24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Dunedin, we can see that Dunedin is more expensive. And not only is Kota Kinabalu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kota Kinabalu is in Asia and Dunedin is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Dunedin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dunedin 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 Kota Kinabalu Expensive? and Is Dunedin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Dunedin?
Kota Kinabalu has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Dunedin. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Dunedin, 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.