A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kota Kinabalu vs. Pingyao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Pingyao?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Pingyao? 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 Pingyao?

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.

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Kota Kinabalu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $49, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $54. 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 Pingyao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kota Kinabalu $18
    Pingyao $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kota Kinabalu $36
    Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Pingyao

Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Pingyao? 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.

Hotels in Kota Kinabalu


Hotels in Pingyao


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kota Kinabalu $22
    Pingyao $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:

  • Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
  • Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
  • Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • 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
  • Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
  • Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI: $32
  • Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
  • Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
  • Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190

Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Pingyao?

Prices for flights to both Pingyao 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kota Kinabalu $15
    Pingyao $19

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

Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $4.97
  • Mango Juice
    $0.69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kota Kinabalu $5.67
    Pingyao $18

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
  • Sunset E-Foil Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $47
  • 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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.76
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $6.90
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.55

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:

  • 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
  • Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
  • Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
  • 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
  • Private Tour: Wang's Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple From Pingyao: $122
  • 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
  • Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
  • All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
  • Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $154
  • Private Old Town Highlights Day Tour: $160
  • Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kota Kinabalu $6.34
    Pingyao $13


When comparing the travel costs between Kota Kinabalu and Pingyao, we can see that Pingyao 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 Kota Kinabalu Expensive? and Is Pingyao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Pingyao?

Kota Kinabalu has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Pingyao, 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.