Which place is cheaper, Vienna 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 Vienna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Vienna? 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 Vienna?
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.
Vienna
Vienna is the largest city and capital of Austria. It has a population of over 1.7 million and is a cultural, political and economic center for the country. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some complain that it feels more like a museum than a real city. Outside of the historical center though, is a young and vibrant city with a huge music scene, many street performers, and eclectic and fun restaurants and nightclubs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Austria, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria.
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Kota Kinabalu Prices
Malaysia PricesVienna Prices
Austria Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $72Vienna $206
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $72, while the average daily cost in Vienna is $206. 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 Vienna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $22Vienna $109
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $44Vienna $218
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Vienna
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Vienna? 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 Vienna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $27Vienna $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $30
- Private Transfer- Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $25
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $25
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $25
- Private Departure Transfer : Kota Kinabalu International Airport: $27
- Private Airport Transfer in Kota Kinabalu: $20
- Kota Kinabalu（BKI）: Private Transfer to City Center: $14
- Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Borneo - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $75
- Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) to Borneo - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Kota Kinab. Airport to Kota Kinabalu - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
- Kota Kinab Airport to Kota Kinabalu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $47
- Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:
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Bus to Airport$35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vienna
Also for Vienna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Bratislava/Fast and Comfortable Bus Transfers: $10
- Bratislava Bus Transfer to and from Vienna Airport: $21
- Vienna VIE Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $27
- Transfer from Vienna Airport (VIE) to Vienna City Center: $47
- Transfer from Vienna City Center to Vienna Airport (VIE): $47
- Vienna Airport Transfers, City Transfers and Disposal Services: $53
- Transfer from Vienna airport to Bratislava: $57
- Arrival Private Transfer Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Sedan: $73
- Schwechat Airport Private Transfer to Vienna City: $73
- Private Transfer from Vienna Airport to Hotel in Vienna: $77
- Vienna City to Vienna Airport Private Transfer Schwechat One Way: $79
- Private Direct Transfer From Vienna Airport to Bratislava: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Vienna?
Prices for flights to both Vienna 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 $32Vienna $67
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
- North Borneo Sunset Dinner Cruise: $121
- Kota Kinabalu Night Tour with Dinner & Cultural Dance Show: $143
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vienna
For Vienna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Vienna with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $35
- Taste A Full Meal Walking Food Tour by Do Eat Better: $93
- Strauss Dinner Show: $117
- Sixx Paxx Dinner Show: $117
- Vienna Guided Food Tour with 7 Food Tastings & a Secret Dish: $126
- The Viennise Food Tour: The World of Yesterday: $142
- Vienna Food Tour: Coffeehouses, Markets, Lunch & Street Food: $155
- Austrian Delights: 3-course Austrian Dinner and Concert at Musikverein Vienna: $164
- Exclusive Evening at Schönbrunn Palace: After-Hours Audiotour, Dinner, Concert: $173
- Classic Food Tour of Vienna: $177
- The Most Delicious Private Food Tour of 6 or 10 Tastings: $184
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $6.82Vienna $45
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Bongawan River Cruise Proboscis Monkey, SkyMirror, Fireflies: $50
- Bongawan: River Safari Cruise, Private or Shared Ticket: $48
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Cowboy Town & Fireflies River Cruise: $62
- Day Trip to Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring Guided Tour: $70
- Discover Sailing Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $88
- From Kota Kinabalu : Kiulu White Water Rafting Tour + meal: $66
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $57
- Indigenous Weaving Experience: $236
- Island Hopping Tour (2 Island) From Kota Kinabalu: $100
- Kinabalu Park & Poring Hot Spring Tour: $80
- Kinabalu Park & Poring Hot Springs Tour with Desa Dairy Farm: $130
Tours and Activities in Vienna
For Vienna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Belvedere Palace and Gardens - Audio Guide (No Palace Ticket): $3.53
- Vienna's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Imperial Adventure: $3.53
- Krems an der Donau Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.40
- Vienna Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h10 and 26 Audio Commentaries: $6.96
- Schönbrunn - Audio Guide and Self Guided Tour (No Palace Ticket): $7.06
- Vienna Christmas Magic Self Guided Walking Tour with an App: $9.99
- Audio Tour Ikonen Mautner Orthodox Icon Gallery Vienna: $11
- Siege of Vienna GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $11
- Austrian Food, Vienna Restaurants Self-Guided Tour Booklet: $12
- Vienna's Old Town and Attractions Self-Guided Tour Booklet: $12
- Vienna Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $12
- Historical Hitler Self Guided Walking Tour and Audio Guide: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $7.61Vienna $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Vienna
Also in Vienna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Vienna Nights Pub Crawl: $14
- Ottakringer Brewery Tour in Vienna - in German: $29
- Local Pub Crawl Vienna: $29
- Austrian Wine Tasting: $142
- Vienna : Vienna Forest Tour with Underground Lake and Wine Tasting: $153
- Wine Tasting Tour: $159
- Vienna Private Wachau Tour with Wine Tasting to Dürnstein: $188
- Private tour Neusiedler See, Rust (wine tasting), Purbach: $188
- Wachau Valley Small-Group Tour and Wine Tasting from Vienna: $235
- Vienna Uncorked Premium Wine Tasting with Cellar Tour: $246
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Vienna, we can see that Vienna 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 Vienna 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 Vienna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vienna 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 Vienna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Vienna?
Vienna has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Vienna, 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 Vienna?
Vienna 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 Vienna in the Summer?
Both Vienna 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, many visitors come to Vienna in the summer for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Kota Kinabalu is generally a little warmer than Vienna. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 27°C (81°F), and Vienna fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In Vienna, 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 Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 205 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vienna receives 255 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 Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Vienna receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Vienna 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Vienna in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Kota Kinabalu and Vienna. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round. Also, most visitors come to Vienna for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Vienna in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Vienna fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
Kota Kinabalu usually receives more sunshine than Vienna during autumn. Kota Kinabalu gets 192 hours of sunny skies, while Vienna receives 140 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 Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain, while Vienna receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Vienna 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Vienna in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Kota Kinabalu as well as Vienna. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Vienna because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Vienna can be very cold. In the winter, Kota Kinabalu is much warmer than Vienna. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Vienna averages at about 2°C (36°F).
In the winter, Kota Kinabalu often gets more sunshine than Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 181 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vienna receives 65 hours of full sun.
Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the winter. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in January than Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Vienna receives 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)Vienna 2°C (36°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Vienna in the Spring?
Both Vienna 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, the natural beauty are the main draw to Vienna this time of year.
In April, Kota Kinabalu is generally much warmer than Vienna. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 28°C (82°F), and Vienna fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
It's quite sunny in Vienna. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually receives more sunshine than Vienna during spring. Kota Kinabalu gets 237 hours of sunny skies, while Vienna receives 202 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. In April, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Vienna. Kota Kinabalu gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Vienna receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)Vienna 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Vienna and Kota Kinabalu
| Kota Kinabalu | Vienna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 4°C (38°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 43 mm (1.7 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.