Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Kota Kinabalu Prices
Malaysia PricesRio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $68Rio de Janeiro $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $68, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $115. 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 Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $21Rio de Janeiro $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $42Rio de Janeiro $128
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $25Rio de Janeiro $7.65
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $21
- One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $25
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $25
- Private transfer Minivan GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Zona Sul: $27
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Rio de Janeiro Airport (GIG) (SDU): $31
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: $32
- Private transfer from Galeão Airport to Hotel or Address in Copacabana: $35
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Private One-way Airport Transfer From Galeao Airport To Rio: $37
- Transfer of 4 Tickets in Rio de Janeiro: $37
- Buzios Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $40
- National Theater & National Library Guided Tour, Admission & Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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 $30Rio de Janeiro $34
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
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.56
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Corn on the Cob$0.75
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Hamburger$0.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner and Live Music in Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Rio: Iconic Street Foods & Caipirinhas: $75
- Authentic Brazilian BBQ & Wine: A Guided Dinner Experience in Rio: $79
- Roxy Show - Brazilian Rhythms with optional Barbecue Dinner: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Family Cooking Class in Rio Make 9 Brazilian Dishes Together: $95
- LGBTQ+ Cooking Class in Rio: Cook, Toast & Celebrate Together: $95
- Brazilian BBQ Cooking & Drinks Class + Patio Party in Copacabana: $95
- Dinner and Show at the Official Roxy Dinner Show - Rio de Janeiro: $122
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $126
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
- Flavors of Cooking Class and Caipirinhas: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $6.43Rio de Janeiro $21
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 Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.51
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $4.51
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Rocinha Local Tour: $19
- Rocinha favela walking tour with a local guide: $20
- Favelas do Vidigal or Rocinha's experience: $23
- Tour of the Heart of Historic Rio de Janeiro : $23
- Rio de Janeiro Tour with App – No Guide, Start When You Want: $24
- Carnival Backstage Tour - Visit a traditional Samba School : $25
- Carnaval Experience: Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail : $26
- Favela Tour Rio de Janeiro - Vidigal Walking Tour by Russo Guide: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $7.18Rio de Janeiro $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $40
- Rio Pub Crawl: Taste Caipirinhas & Local Bar Snacks: $95
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro is in South America, 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Kota Kinabalu. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu and Rio de Janeiro, 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 Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kota Kinabalu and Rio de Janeiro. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kota Kinabalu year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Rio de Janeiro for the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Rio de Janeiro in the summer. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the summer. Kota Kinabalu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Rio de Janeiroin January. Kota Kinabalu gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Kota Kinabalu as well as Rio de Janeiro. Kota Kinabalu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Rio de Janeiro because of the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Kota Kinabalu is around the same temperature as Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Kota Kinabalu in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 25°C (77°F)in April.
It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. Kota Kinabalu receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in October than Rio de Janeiroin April. Kota Kinabalu gets 336 mm (13.2 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, May to November in Rio de Janeiro is the dry season. December to April in Rio de Janeiro is the rainy season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilKota Kinabalu 27°C (81°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
Both Rio de Janeiro 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. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Rio de Janeiro this time of year.
In January, Kota Kinabalu is generally a little warmer than Rio de Janeiroin July. Daily temperatures in Kota Kinabalu average around 26°C (79°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
It's quite rainy in Kota Kinabalu. In January, Kota Kinabalu usually receives more rain than Rio de Janeiroin July. Kota Kinabalu gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyKota Kinabalu 26°C (79°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
Both Rio de Janeiro 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. Also, many travelers come to Rio de Janeiro for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
Kota Kinabalu is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro in the spring. The daily temperature in Kota Kinabalu averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu usually gets more rain in April than Rio de Janeiroin October. Kota Kinabalu gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year. May to November is the dry season in Rio de Janeiro. December to April is the rainy season in Rio de Janeiro.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberKota Kinabalu 28°C (82°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Kota Kinabalu
| Kota Kinabalu | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 291 mm (11.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 285 mm (11.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 336 mm (13.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 298 mm (11.7 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 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.