Which place is cheaper, Saint John 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 Saint John?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Saint John? 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 Saint John?
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.
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.
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Kota Kinabalu Prices
Malaysia PricesSaint John Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $68Saint John $233
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $68, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $233. 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 Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $21Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $42Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Saint John? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $25Saint John $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Kota Kinab Airport to Kota Kinabalu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $48
- Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) Private Transfer to Kota Kinabalu: $13
- Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) to Borneo - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Borneo - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $77
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $53
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Kota Kinabalu（BKI）: Private Transfer to City Center: $14
- Private Arrival Transfer : Kota Kinabalu International Airport: $30
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kota Kinabalu Port: $25
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $25
- Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $25
- Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John 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 $30Saint John $97
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
- Ethnic Cooking Class & Upside Down House & 3D Wonders Museum: $92
- Taste Of Borneo Cooking Class: $95
- North Borneo Sunset Dinner Cruise: $121
- Kota Kinabalu Night Tour with Dinner & Cultural Dance Show: $138
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $187
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $6.43Saint John $23
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Bongawan Proboscis and Fireflies Cruise Tour: $32
- Sail and Catch Boat fishing Tour of the Coast of Kota Kinabalu: $41
- Night Glow Stand Up Paddle Experience in Kota Kinabalu: $44
- 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
- Bongawan River Cruise Proboscis Monkey, SkyMirror, Fireflies : $49
- Sabah: Manukan and Sapi Islands Excursion Ticket: $50
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Private Guided E-Foil Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $54
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $55
- Pulau Sapi & Manukan Sabah Shared Activity Adventure: $57
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $7.18Saint John $44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Saint John, we can see that Saint John 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 Saint John is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Saint John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John 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 Saint John Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu or Saint John?
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 Kota Kinabalu or Saint John in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kota Kinabalu and Saint John. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Kota Kinabalu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Saint John. Kota Kinabalu gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In the summer, Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Saint John. Typically, the summer temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Saint John averages at about 29°C (83°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Saint John 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Saint John in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Kota Kinabalu as well as Saint John. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Saint John. Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in October than Saint John. Kota Kinabalu gets 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
In October, Kota Kinabalu is generally around the same temperature as Saint John. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 27°C (81°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Saint John 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Saint John in the Winter?
Both Saint John 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. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. In January, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Saint John. Kota Kinabalu gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Saint John in the winter. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Saint John fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)Saint John 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Saint John in the Spring?
Both Saint John 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. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in April than Saint John. Kota Kinabalu gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the spring, Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Saint John. Typically, the spring temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in April average around 28°C (82°F), and Saint John averages at about 27°C (80°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)Saint John 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John and Kota Kinabalu
| Kota Kinabalu | Saint John | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.