Which place is cheaper, Singapore or Kota Kinabalu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Singapore?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Singapore? 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 Singapore?
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.
Singapore
Singapore is a city-state that was originally founded in 1819 as a British trading colony. Today it is a very international country that is incredibly modern and cosmopolitan. There is a strong financial industry in this country, and a correspondingly strong work ethic. It is one of the most prosperous cities in the world, and has one of the world's busiest ports.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best Budget Tours to Singapore, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Singapore.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $49Singapore $151
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $49, while the average daily cost in Singapore is $151. 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 Singapore in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $18Singapore $98
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $36Singapore $196
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Singapore
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Singapore? 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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $22Singapore $10
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 Singapore
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Singapore:
-
Taxi to Airport$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Singapore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Singapore:
- Singapore City Highlights with Transfers: $20
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Private Transfer: $20
- Private Airport Transfer in Singapore: $25
- Singapore Arrival Transfer (Airport to Hotel): $29
- MBCC & HFCC - Cruise Terminal to City Hotel Transfer: $29
- Singapore City Hotel to Marina Bay Cruise Terminal Transfer: $29
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Private Transfer to Downtown: $29
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to Singapore - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Singapore Airport: Shared Arrival or Departure Car Transfer : $31
- Singapore Point to Point Transfer: $32
- Singapore Downtown to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) -Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to Downtown hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Singapore?
Prices for flights to both Singapore 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 dayKota Kinabalu $15Singapore $27
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 Singapore
Some typical examples of dining costs in Singapore are as follows:
-
Breakfast$4.48
-
Sugarcane Juice$1.47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Singapore
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Singapore.
- Secrets of Singapore Kick Scooter Tour with Dinner: $46
- Secrets of Singapore Kick Scooter Tour with Dinner: $47
- Guided Hawker Culture & Street Food Tour at Night: $65
- Local Hawker Food Tour with Tastings: $65
- Marina Bay Sands Yacht Cruise with Dinner: $67
- Eat and Snap in Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $71
- Small Group: Michelin and Local Hawker Food Tour: $72
- Private Korean Cooking Class in Balmoral Road: $74
- Best Ever Katong Food Tour with Local Foodie - Eat till you drop!: $74
- Zebra Urban Safari Bicycle Tour with Local Dinner and Drinks: $75
- Little India Hawker Street Food Tour: $81
- Hands-on Cooking Class with Cultural Immersion: $81
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $5.67Singapore $32
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
Tours and Activities in Singapore
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Singapore are as follows:
- The Civic District: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Kampong Glam: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- The Civic District: Hear stories about Singapore's past on an audio tour: $5.20
- Singapore's History of Trade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Big Little India: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Singapore Street Art Hunting in Kampong Glam: A Self-guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Kampong Glam: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Singapore's Malay Culture: $5.20
- Indian Heritage Centre Admission Ticket: $5.31
- Indian Heritage Centre Entrance Ticket: $5.87
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Entry Ticket: $5.87
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Admission Ticket: $6.01
- Science Center E-Ticket: $7.04
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $6.34Singapore $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Singapore
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Singapore:
- Tour of Tiger Brewery in Singapore: $21
- Party Singapore Bespoke Pub Crawl:Wildest Nightlife Clubbing: $25
- Singapore Pub Crawl - Party like a Local: $26
- Little India Pub Crawl: $26
- Halloween Horror Nightlife PartySingapore Bespoke Pub Crawl: $37
- LeVeL33 Rooftop Brewery Tour and Craft Beer Tasting: $73
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Singapore, we can see that Singapore is more expensive. And not only is Kota Kinabalu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Singapore would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Singapore 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 Singapore Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Singapore?
Singapore has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Singapore, 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.