At a glance
 MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
 BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Country | Malaysia | Brunei |
| Nomad score | 6.6 / 10 | 5.6 / 10 |
| Cost of living | $1,859 / mo | $2,744 / mo |
| Internet speed | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Weather now | 30° / 24°C | 31° / 24°C |
| Air quality (AQI) | 58 Moderate | 54 Moderate |
| Community votes | 0 0 | 0 0 |
Climate averages
Yearly averages of monthly climate data
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Average high | 29.6°C | 30.3°C |
| Average low | 24°C | 24°C |
| Precipitation | 246 mm / mo | 306 mm / mo |
| Sunshine | 274 h / mo | 274 h / mo |
| Humidity | 81% | 87% |
| Rain days | 21.4 / mo | 23.8 / mo |
| Wind speed | 11.3 km/h | 11.8 km/h |
MY
Kota Kinabalu · average high by month
J 28
F 29
M 29
A 30
M 31
J 30
J 30
A 30
S 30
O 29
N 29
D 29
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan · average high by month
J 29
F 29
M 30
A 31
M 31
J 31
J 31
A 31
S 30
O 30
N 30
D 30
Air quality
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| US AQI | 58 | 54 |
| PM2.5 | 14.1 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 15.1 µg/m³ | 11.3 µg/m³ |
| Ozone | 144 µg/m³ | 118 µg/m³ |
| UV index | 5.7 | 8.4 |
Business & Economy
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Blockchain & Crypto Adoption | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Local Payment Services | 6.9 | 5.2 |
| Startup Scene | 3.7 | 2.7 |
Climate & Environment
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning | 8.2 | 7.8 |
| Green Spaces | 7.6 | 6.8 |
| Natural Disaster Risk | 6.8 | 7.5 |
| Noise Pollution | 5.4 | 6.8 |
| Seasonal Variety | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| Weather | 6.4 | 5.6 |
Connectivity
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Network Coverage | 8.2 | 8.2 |
| Power Grid Reliability | 7.6 | 8.6 |
| Public WiFi Availability | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| VPN Reliability | 7.8 | 7.1 |
Cost & Affordability
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation Cost | 7.6 | 6.8 |
| Cost of Living | 7.6 | 6.6 |
| Currency Stability | 6.5 | 8.7 |
| Entertainment Cost | 7.3 | 6.0 |
| Food & Groceries | 8.1 | 7.3 |
| Gym Membership Cost | 6.7 | 6.3 |
| Transportation Cost | 7.9 | 6.8 |
Culture & Entertainment
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Culture | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Indoors Fun | 5.4 | 3.6 |
| Language Learning Opportunities | 5.1 | 4.0 |
| Local Experiences & Tours | 8.2 | 6.0 |
| Nightlife | 5.6 | 1.9 |
| Outdoors & Nature | 9.1 | 7.6 |
Digital Nomad Community
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Nomad Events & Meetups | 3.8 | 1.4 |
| Nomad Friendly | 6.7 | 3.2 |
| Online Community Presence | 4.0 | 1.9 |
Digital Nomad Essentials
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Cafes with WiFi | 6.6 | 4.7 |
| Coworking Spaces Availability | 5.1 | 2.3 |
| Digital Nomad Friendly Cafes | 5.6 | 3.0 |
| Digital Nomad Popularity | 4.0 | 1.8 |
| Internet Speed | 7.2 | 7.3 |
| Local SIM Card Availability | 8.3 | 7.5 |
Food & Fitness
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Fitness Facilities | 6.3 | 5.2 |
| Food Scene | 7.8 | 6.0 |
| Healthy Food Options | 6.6 | 4.8 |
| Yoga Studios | 5.1 | 3.6 |
Healthcare
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 6.9 | 7.0 |
| Healthcare Affordability | 8.1 | 7.7 |
| Healthcare Quality | 6.6 | 6.6 |
Legal & Administrative
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Digital Nomad Visa Availability | 6.8 | 0.5 |
| Ease of Business Registration | 5.6 | 3.3 |
| Ease of Opening Bank Account | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| Freedom of Speech | 4.6 | 2.7 |
| Political Stability | 7.0 | 8.8 |
| Tax Friendliness | 6.3 | 9.1 |
| Visa Ease | 6.4 | 5.2 |
Quality of Life
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Air Quality | 7.2 | 6.9 |
| Cleanliness | 6.7 | 7.8 |
| Environmental Quality | 7.5 | 7.3 |
| Family Friendly | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Language Barrier | 7.7 | 6.8 |
| Work-Life Balance | 7.6 | 6.8 |
Safety & Tolerance
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Female Friendly | 7.0 | 7.2 |
| Racial Tolerance | 7.5 | 6.9 |
| Safety | 7.7 | 8.9 |
Transportation
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Airport Connectivity | 7.3 | 6.0 |
| Cycling | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Intercity Travel Options | 6.1 | 4.2 |
| Public Transit | 3.9 | 3.4 |
| Ride-sharing Services | 7.3 | 4.0 |
| Scooter/Bike Rental Availability | 6.1 | 2.5 |
| Walkability | 5.4 | 3.9 |
Work Environment
Scores out of 10
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Coworking Quality | 4.8 | 2.2 |
| Freelance Ecosystem | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Networking Opportunities | 4.4 | 2.7 |
| Remote Job Opportunities | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Time Zone Favorability | 7.4 | 6.8 |
Clothing
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Jeans | $56 per pair | $47 per pair |
| Summer Dress | $28 per dress | $27 per dress |
| Running Shoes | $86 per pair | $70 per pair |
Dining Out
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Dining Out | $102 per month | $47 per month |
Entertainment
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Cinema Ticket | $5.59 per ticket | $4.66 per ticket |
Food & Dining
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | $3.17 per cup | $2.72 per cup |
| Beer | $4.06 per pint | $3.50 per pint |
| Meal (Inexpensive) | $3.05 per meal | $3.89 per meal |
| Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) | $25 per meal | $31 per meal |
| Fast Food Combo | $5.33 per meal | $5.44 per meal |
| Apples | $2.92 per kg | $1.94 per kg |
| Bread | $1.07 per loaf | $1.40 per loaf |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.71 per bottle | $0.78 per bottle |
| Milk | $1.98 per liter | $1.71 per liter |
| Rice | $1.40 per kg | $1.40 per kg |
| Chicken Fillets | $5.59 per kg | $5.44 per kg |
| Beef | $11 per kg | $9.33 per kg |
| Wine (Mid-range) | $19 per bottle | $27 per bottle |
Groceries
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $165 per month | $272 per month |
Health Insurance
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Health Insurance | $15 per month | $0.00 per month |
Healthcare
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Visit (GP) | $17 per visit | $23 per visit |
| Pharmacy (basic meds) | $4.57 per purchase | $6.22 per purchase |
Housing
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Housing | $241 per month | $466 per month |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) | $419 per month | $505 per month |
| Airbnb (1 month) | $965 per month | $933 per month |
| Coworking Space | $114 per month | $140 per month |
| Coliving Space | $305 per month | $389 per month |
Internet & Mobile
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Internet & Mobile | $20 per month | $39 per month |
Leisure Activities
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Leisure Activities | $38 per month | $23 per month |
Personal Care
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Haircut | $10 per visit | $9.33 per visit |
| Laundry | $3.81 per kg | $3.89 per kg |
Services
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Plan | $11 per month | $19 per month |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | $29 per month | $43 per month |
| SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) | $8.89 one-time | $7.77 one-time |
| Gym Membership | $41 per month | $35 per month |
| Tennis Court (Weekend) | $6.35 per hour | $12 per hour |
Transportation
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | $38 per month | $31 per month |
| Taxi Start | $1.27 per trip | $2.72 per trip |
| Taxi per km | $0.76 per km | $0.93 per km |
| Monthly Transport Pass | $20 per month | $23 per month |
| Ride-hailing (5km) | $2.54 per trip | $4.66 per trip |
| Gasoline | $0.52 per liter | $0.41 per liter |
| Scooter Rental | $11 per month | $19 per month |
Utilities
Local prices in US dollars
|
MY
Kota Kinabalu
|
BN
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | $30 per month | $47 per month |