Which place is cheaper, Nara or Sandakan?
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 Sandakan or Nara?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Nara? 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: Sandakan or Nara?
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
Nara
As Japan's first capital, Nara offers a world of tradition and culture second only to the city of Kyoto. It is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are largely concentrated in the area of Nara Park. Here, it is also common to see many deer wandering freely amongst the temples and shrines.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, and The Best Cultural Tours in Japan.
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Sandakan Prices
Malaysia PricesNara Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $81Nara $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $81, while the average daily cost in Nara is $111. 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 Sandakan and Nara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $23Nara $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $46Nara $108
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Nara
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Nara? 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: Sandakan Hotel Prices and Nara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $37Nara $6.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sandakan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sandakan:
- Private 1Way Transfer to/from Sandakan Airport, City or Sepilok: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Nara?
Prices for flights to both Nara and Sandakan 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 daySandakan $36Nara $51
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
- Sandakan : Fireflies and Mangrove Cruise with Dinner: $193
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nara.
- Handmade Soba and Tempura Cooking Class in Nara: $49
- Udon and Tempura Cooking Class in Nara: $52
- Nara Personalized Half Day Food Tour with a Local Guide: $160
- Taste of Nara A Guided Half Day Food Tour Tailored to Your Taste: $160
- Full Day Nara E bike Tour and Osaka History Food Tour: $199
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $8.15Nara $8.09
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $60
- Private Sandakan City Must See 6 Highlights Tour with Guide & Car: $63
- From 7 Unmissable Local Stops Private Tour: $82
- Sukau Rainforest Wildlife and Dawn Cruises Tour in Sandakan: $83
- Sukau Rainforest Wildlife Journey & Dawn Cruises: $87
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $88
- Sandakan Private City Tour Orangutan Sun Bears and Rainforest: $89
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour (Flight Excluded): $119
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
Tours and Activities in Nara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nara are as follows:
- Gripped Sumi Ink Experience at a Historic Workshop in Nara: $23
- Tea Ceremony Experience in Nara 3 Minutes from Nara Station: $28
- Nara Craft Tours - local Craft beers tour experience in Nara City: $28
- Naramachi walking tour with Local: $31
- Nara Highlight Walking Tour with Furoshiki Experience with Lunch: $35
- Samurai Spirit Kendo Experience【Nara】: $41
- All must-sees in 3 hours - Nara Park Classic Tour! From JR Nara!: $45
- Traditional Kimono Experience in Historic Nara(with Hair Styling): $48
- Uji Tea Ceremony and UNESCO Heritage Walking Tour: $56
- Nara English Guided Walking Tour (All Entrance Fee Included): $62
- Perfect Nara Park Half-Day Bus Tour with English Speaking Guide: $69
- Kyoto: Tea Museum and Tsuen Teahouse Guided Tour: $73
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $7.47Nara $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Nara, we can see that Nara is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Nara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nara than you might in Sandakan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Nara Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Nara?
Sandakan has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Nara. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan and Nara, 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 Sandakan or Nara?
Nara has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Sandakan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Sandakan or Nara in the Summer?
Both Nara and Sandakan are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Sandakan throughout the year. Also, the hiking and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Nara this time of year.
Sandakan is around the same temperature as Nara in the summer. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Nara fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually receives more sunshine than Nara during summer. Sandakan gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Nara receives 183 hours of full sun in the summer.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Nara. It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In July, Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of rain as Nara. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Nara receives 186 mm (7.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySandakan 27°C (81°F)Nara 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Nara in the Autumn?
Both Nara and Sandakan during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Nara for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Sandakan is much warmer than Nara. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Sandakan in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Nara averages at about 17°C (63°F).
In the autumn, Sandakan often gets more sunshine than Nara. Sandakan gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Nara receives 159 hours of full sun.
Nara gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets more rain in October than Nara. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Nara receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSandakan 28°C (82°F)Nara 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Nara in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sandakan and Nara. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Sandakan year-round. Also, many visitors come to Nara in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Nara can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Sandakan is generally much warmer than Nara. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 26°C (80°F), and Nara fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
Sandakan usually receives more sunshine than Nara during winter. Sandakan gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Nara receives 140 hours of full sun in the winter.
Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Nara. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Nara receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySandakan 26°C (80°F)Nara 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Nara in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Sandakan as well as Nara. Sandakan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, most visitors come to Nara for the natural beauty during these months.
Sandakan is much warmer than Nara in the spring. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Nara fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sandakan this time of the year. In the spring, Sandakan often gets more sunshine than Nara. Sandakan gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Nara receives 176 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Nara. Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the spring. Sandakan usually gets less rain in April than Nara. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Nara receives 127 mm (5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSandakan 28°C (82°F)Nara 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Nara and Sandakan
| Sandakan | Nara | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (80°F) | 437 mm (17.2 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 268 mm (10.6 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 60 mm (2.3 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 128 mm (5.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 214 mm (8.4 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 195 mm (7.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 186 mm (7.3 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 213 mm (8.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 154 mm (6.1 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 253 mm (10 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 344 mm (13.5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 462 mm (18.2 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 41 mm (1.6 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.