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Kota Kinabalu

City in Sabah, Malaysia

Overview

Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, Malaysia, is a lively coastal city set between the South China Sea and Borneo's lush rainforests. It's renowned for its multicultural markets, lively seafood scene, and as a gateway to Mount Kinabalu and island-hopping adventures.

Geographic Context

Jurisdiction
Malaysia
State
Sabah
Population
Time Zone
Asia/Kuala_Lumpur
Coordinates
5.97°, 116.07°

Key Metrics

Safety Score
70
Female Safety
55
LGBTQ+ Safety
30
Traffic Safety
60
Food Safety
70
Monthly Cost
$820
Local Cost
$420
Local Income
$450
Cashless
70
English
60
Temperature
24.6°C
Summer Avg
24.7°C
Winter Avg
24.1°C
Record High
31.3°C
Record Low
17.6°C
Humidity
86%
Precipitation
2716 mm
Internet Speed
109 Mbps
Upload
69 Mbps
Latency
15 ms
City Vibrancy
Coworking
0
Cafes
0
Nightlife
0
Parks
0
Transport
100
Walk Score
100
Footways
423.0
Airport
BKI
Distance
5 km

Frequently Asked Questions

Data sources

Source-backed data

NASA POWER - Climate normals and monthly weather measurements rendered as city weather metrics. Updated 2026-03-22.
World Air Quality Index - Latest available city-level air quality station measurement. Updated 2025-12-05.
Ookla Open Data - Internet speed aggregates for 2024Q3 from 157 tests. Updated 2025-12-05.
OpenStreetMap - Nearby amenities counted from OpenStreetMap-derived city extracts. Updated 2025-12-09.
OpenStreetMap transport extract - Walkability, footway density, and airport access metrics derived from mapped transport features. Updated 2025-12-06.
Oyster List city price model - City price estimates calibrated from local price surveys and jurisdiction-level cost signals. Updated 2026-01-14.

Estimated data

Oyster List AI-assisted estimates - Safety, lifestyle, income, and practical scores are model-assisted estimates derived from source-backed country and city signals. Confidence 80/100.

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