Which place is cheaper, Rome or Kota Kinabalu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Rome?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rome? 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 Rome?
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.
Rome
Rome is the kind of city that refuses to stay in the past, even though history is everywhere you look. Ancient ruins rise beside buzzing cafes, scooters zip past Renaissance palaces, and quiet cobblestone lanes suddenly open onto grand piazzas filled with fountains, churches, and street performers. It is a city of layers: the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, neighborhood trattorias, stylish boutiques, and late-night gelato walks all woven together into one unforgettable experience. Whether you come for the art, the food, the history, or the simple pleasure of wandering without a plan, Rome has a way of making every day feel like a discovery.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.
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Kota Kinabalu Prices
Malaysia PricesRome Prices
Italy Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $70Rome $236
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $70, while the average daily cost in Rome is $236. 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 Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $21Rome $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $42Rome $206
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Rome
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Rome? 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 Rome Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $26Rome $24
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: $38
- Kota Kinab Airport to Kota Kinabalu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $47
- Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) to Borneo - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Borneo - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $75
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $54
- Kota Kinabalu（BKI）: Private Transfer to City Center: $14
- Private Airport Transfer in Kota Kinabalu: $20
- Private Airport Transfer: BKI Airport ⇄ Kota Kinabalu City(Hotel): $14
- Private Departure Transfer : Kota Kinabalu International Airport: $27
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $25
- Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI: $25
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
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Metro Ride (for Two)$2.28
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Train to the Airport$17
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Taxi to Airport$51
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Bicycle Rental (Full Day)$11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
- Bus Transfer from Fiumicino Airport to Vatican City: $7.05
- Transfer Fiumicino Airport - Rome City Centre: $8.22
- Transfer Rome center - Fiumicino airport: $8.22
- Bus Transfer from Rome to Milan or Vice Versa: $9.42
- Luxury Private Transfer from/to Fiumicino Airport to Rome Center: $40
- Ciampino Transfer: $43
- Rome’s Bone Chapel with Audioguide App and Panoramic Bus Transfer: $45
- Private transfers in the city of Rome (one way): $47
- Rome Private Transfer with Italian Breakfast on demand: $47
- Ciampino to Rome city transfers: $48
- Rome to Fiumicino Airport Rome (FCO) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Transfers Ciampino airport To Rome: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome 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 $31Rome $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kota Kinabalu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kota Kinabalu.
- Beringgis Mangove Fireflies, Sunset Tour & Dinner: $33
- Sabah Traditional Authentic Cuisine Cooking Class 3 Hours: $45
- Klias River Cruise with Dinner and Fireflies: $55
- Kawa Mangrove Cruise & Fireflies with Dinner: $67
- Kota Kinabalu Klias River Cruise with Dinner and Fireflies Tour: $72
- Traditional Sabah Cooking Class and Taste Local Flavors: $75
- Ethnic Cooking Class & Upside Down House & 3D Wonders Museum: $92
- Private Cooking Class with Market Visit: $94
- North Borneo Sunset Dinner Cruise: $121
- Kota Kinabalu Night Tour with Dinner & Cultural Dance Show: $142
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Cruise with Dinner, Live Band & Hotel Pickup: $189
Typical Food Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$16
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4 Ice Cream Sandwiches$3.41
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Cafe e doce$4.56
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Pizza (Fast Food)$3.02
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$36
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Cheese and bread$11
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Espresso$2.28
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Dinner$66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
- Pizzas and Piazzas: A Self-Guided Walk of Rome’s Culinary Culture: $20
- Pasta Making & Wine Tasting with Dinner in Frascati from Rome: $34
- Pizza & Tiramisu or Gelato Class with Flowing Fine Wine 5*: $41
- Rome Food Tour for Breakfast Lovers: $41
- Milan Street Food Tour and City Guided Sightseeing: $45
- Rome Ultimate Food Tour Trastevere Tiber Island & Campo de' Fiori: $46
- Rome Early Morning Breakfast and Sightseeing Food Tour: $46
- Rome Pizza Making Class for Families in Trastevere: $46
- Rome Food Tour: Tastings in the Jewish Ghetto & Campo de' Fiori: $46
- Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with Prosecco in Rome: $46
- Gnocchi Cooking Class in Rome - Piazza Navona: $47
- Fettuccine Pasta Cooking Class in Rome City Center: $47
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $6.62Rome $41
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Sabah Mali-Mali Garden Spa Massage Experience: $27
- Bongawan River Cruise, City Tour & Fireflies: $28
- Private Tour Kampung Gipsi Sabah Cultural Village Kota Kinabalu: $38
- Kota Kinabalu 3 Hour Coastal Fishing and Island Tour: $38
- Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise: $46
- Mangrove Kayaking Experience in Borneo: $47
- Bongawan: River Safari Cruise, Private or Shared Ticket: $48
- Sabah: Manukan and Sapi Islands Excursion Ticket: $50
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Bongawan River Cruise Proboscis Monkey, SkyMirror, Fireflies: $54
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $56
- Cowboy Town & Fireflies River Cruise: $62
Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)$79
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Coliseum Tickets (for Two)$38
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Roma Pass$34
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Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)$23
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Segway Tour$86
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Walking tour with Archaeologist: $1.40
- Rome Best Kept Secrets: Self-Guided City Tour: $2.31
- Self-Guided Tours in Rome with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.51
- Rome Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.51
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $4.69
- Experience Rome Trevi Fountain with Ticket: $4.70
- Tour of Rome to Visit the Most Iconic Monuments: $5.00
- Rome:Pantheon Entry Ticket with Hosted Experience and Audio Guide: $5.28
- Testaccio: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Rome's Food Traditions: $6.10
- Rome Walking Tour 2h40 and 23 audio commentary: $6.93
- Rome Trevi Fountain Priority Entrance Ticket: $7.05
- What Emperor Hadrian Lost: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Ancient Rome: $7.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $7.40Rome $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
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Bottle of Wine$7.41
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Pint of Beer$7.23
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Beer$11
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
- Rome Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $22
- Cabaret and Burlesque Show: $35
- Wine Tasting and Food Pairing with gelato in Trastevere: $41
- Winery Tour, Wine Tasting near Rome with Optional Lunch: $46
- Wine Tasting in Trastevere with Food and Gelato: $49
- Experience Rome Exclusive Wine Tasting in City Center: $56
- Guided Wine Tasting Experience in a Roman Vineyard: $58
- Rome Wine Tasting in Monte dei Cocci | Authentic Lazio Wines: $58
- Dolce Vita Burlesque show: $59
- Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Underground Cellar in Rome: $63
- The greatest wine tour of Rome: $82
- Italy in a Glass - Wine Tasting and Food Pairing Tour in Rome: $82
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome is in Europe, 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Rome?
Rome has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Rome, 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 Rome?
Rome 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 Rome in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kota Kinabalu and Rome. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Rome for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Rome in the summer. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Rome fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Rome this time of the year. In Kota Kinabalu, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kota Kinabalu usually receives less sunshine than Rome during summer. Kota Kinabalu gets 205 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
Kota Kinabalu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Rome receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Rome 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rome in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Kota Kinabalu as well as Rome. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Rome because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Rome. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Rome averages at about 17°C (63°F).
In the autumn, Kota Kinabalu often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 192 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 198 hours of full sun.
Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in October than Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain, while Rome receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Rome 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rome in the Winter?
Both Rome and Kota Kinabalu are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kota Kinabalu throughout the year. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Rome this time of year.
In January, Kota Kinabalu is generally much warmer than Rome. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 26°C (79°F), and Rome fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
Kota Kinabalu usually receives more sunshine than Rome during winter. Kota Kinabalu gets 181 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 127 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. In January, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Rome receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)Rome 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rome in the Spring?
Both Rome and Kota Kinabalu during the spring 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, many travelers come to Rome for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Rome in the spring. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Rome fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In Rome, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kota Kinabalu. In the spring, Kota Kinabalu often gets more sunshine than Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 237 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 204 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in April than Rome. Kota Kinabalu gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Rome receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)Rome 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Rome and Kota Kinabalu
| Kota Kinabalu | Rome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 42 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 94 mm (3.7 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.