Which place is cheaper, Kota Kinabalu or Mount Kailash?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mount Kailash or Kota Kinabalu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mount Kailash or Kota Kinabalu? 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: Mount Kailash or Kota Kinabalu?
Mount Kailash
The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMount Kailash $71Kota Kinabalu $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $71, while the average daily cost in Kota Kinabalu is $49. 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 Mount Kailash and Kota Kinabalu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMount Kailash $27Kota Kinabalu $18
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMount Kailash $54Kota Kinabalu $36
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Kota Kinabalu
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Kota Kinabalu? 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.Mount Kailash $31Kota Kinabalu $22
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: $46
- Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
- One Way Transfer from Kota Kinabal Airport to/from Kota Kinabali: $25
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $28
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI): $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Kota Kinabalu?
Prices for flights to both Kota Kinabalu and Mount Kailash 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 dayMount Kailash $24Kota Kinabalu $15
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
- Ethnic Cooking Class & Upside Down House & 3D Wonders Museum: $92
- Half Day Klias Mangrove Wildlife and Fireflies with dinner: $144
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $187
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mount Kailash $15Kota Kinabalu $5.67
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
- 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
- Sunset Charter Cruise Experience in Kota Kinabalu: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMount Kailash $2.76Kota Kinabalu $6.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Kota Kinabalu, we can see that Mount Kailash 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 Mount Kailash would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mount Kailash 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 Mount Kailash Expensive? and Is Kota Kinabalu Expensive?.
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.