Which place is cheaper, Melbourne or Kota Kinabalu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne? 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 Melbourne?
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.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $49Melbourne $176
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $49, while the average daily cost in Melbourne is $176. 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 Melbourne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $18Melbourne $118
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $36Melbourne $236
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Melbourne
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne? 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 Melbourne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $22Melbourne $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI): $28
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
- One Way Transfer from Kota Kinabal Airport to/from Kota Kinabali: $25
- Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52
- Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
- Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$10
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Tram Ride$2.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Melbourne Airport: Express Bus Transfer to/from City Center: $16
- Melbourne Airport: One-Way Transfer to Melbourne: $29
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Cruise Port to Melbourne hotels: $38
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Melbourne Port: $52
- Private Car Transfer Melbourne Airport To CBD: $79
- From Melbourne Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Melbourne: $79
- Nighttime Private City Tour with Transfer & Stops: $80
- Melbourne Airport: 1-Way Melbourne Airport Private Transfer: $85
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Melbourne Airports: $86
- Private Arrival Transfer: Melbourne Airports to Hotel: $86
- Luxury Airport Transfers & Best Limo Service in Melbourne: $87
- Mt Buller 1 Day Snow Tour (Direct Transfer To Mt Buller Village From Melbourne): $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne?
Prices for flights to both Melbourne 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 $15Melbourne $30
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
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.60
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Pizza$4.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $78
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $86
- The Q Train - Table For 2 - Dinner (Departing Drysdale): $92
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $97
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Chinese Cooking Class Master: $118
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise: $122
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $129
- Indian Cooking Master Class: $130
- Street Food of Asia Cooking Class: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $5.67Melbourne $27
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 : $292
- Indigenous Weaving Experience: $236
- Island Hopping Tour (2 Island) From Kota Kinabalu: $77
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.21
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Melbourne Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $3.27
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.42
- Marvellous A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Melbourne Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- MoPA Children's Museum Admission Ticket: $9.15
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.80
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.80
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $9.80
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.80
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $6.34Melbourne $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.03
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $17
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $19
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $25
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $33
- Laid back,Small-Group Yarra Valley Wine Tour :Wine,Gin,Cider+more: $86
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $116
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $127
- Southern Gippsland boutique Wine Tour with Tapas from Melbourne : $139
- Wine Tour Yarra Valley, Vic - inc. 2 course lunch + glass of wine: $165
- Yarra Valley Premium Tour Lunch and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Domaine Chandon: $179
- Champion Racehorse Tour with Beer and Wine Tasting: $192
- Yarra Valley Full Day Private Wine Tour : $245
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Melbourne, we can see that Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Melbourne, 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.
When is the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne?
Melbourne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kota Kinabalu experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne in the Summer?
Both Melbourne and Kota Kinabalu during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Kota Kinabalu because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Melbourne this time of year.
In July, Kota Kinabalu is generally a little warmer than Melbournein January. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 27°C (81°F), and Melbourne fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
In Melbourne, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kota Kinabalu. In the summer, Kota Kinabalu often gets less sunshine than Melbournein January. Kota Kinabalu gets 205 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Melbourne receives 271 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in July than Melbournein January. Kota Kinabalu gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Melbourne 20°C (68°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Kota Kinabalu and Melbourne. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round. Also, many travelers come to Melbourne for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Melbourne in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Melbourne fluctuates around 15°C (60°F)in April.
Kota Kinabalu usually receives more sunshine than Melbourne during autumn. Kota Kinabalu gets 192 hours of sunny skies, while Melbourne receives 170 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Kota Kinabalu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Melbournein April. Kota Kinabalu gets 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Melbourne 15°C (60°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Kota Kinabalu as well as Melbourne. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many visitors come to Melbourne in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Melbourne. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Melbourne averages at about 9°C (49°F)in July.
In the winter, Kota Kinabalu often gets more sunshine than Melbournein July. Kota Kinabalu gets 181 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Melbourne receives 139 hours of full sun.
Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the winter. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in January than Melbournein July. Kota Kinabalu gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyKota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)Melbourne 9°C (49°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Melbourne in the Spring?
Both Melbourne and Kota Kinabalu are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kota Kinabalu throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Melbourne for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.
In April, Kota Kinabalu is generally much warmer than Melbournein October. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 28°C (82°F), and Melbourne fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
It's quite sunny in Melbourne. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually receives more sunshine than Melbourne during spring. Kota Kinabalu gets 237 hours of sunny skies, while Melbourne receives 216 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. In April, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Melbournein October. Kota Kinabalu gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberKota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)Melbourne 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Melbourne and Kota Kinabalu
| Kota Kinabalu | Melbourne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 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.