Top expat cities

Malaysia

Kota Kinabalu

#4 Top 5 cities

Kota Kinabalu appeals to people seeking a more relaxed coastal life with strong nature access, but a smaller professional scene than peninsular hubs.

Country overview

Population

500Β 421

Year-round temperatures

Day: 31°C aΕΎ 33°C

Night: 23°C aΕΎ 25°C

Climate

Hot tropical seaside climate with high humidity and frequent rain.

Distance to the sea

0 km

Social atmosphere

8/10

Costs

Housing cost 7/10
Food cost 8/10

Business friendliness

6/10

Safety

7/10

Central Kota Kinabalu is generally comfortable with routine precautions, but petty theft, road risks, and weaker emergency capacity outside the city require additional planning for regional travel.

Natural disaster resilience

5/10

Sabah faces heavy rain, flash floods, landslides, coastal storms, and meaningful earthquake risk; these hazards can disrupt roads, flights, utilities, and access to surrounding areas.

Other scores

Other scores

Internet availability 8/10
Internet speed 7/10
Internet stability 7/10
Electricity stability 7/10

Community types

  • Digital nomads
  • Retirees
  • Couples
  • Entrepreneurs

Largest nationality groups

  • πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§British
  • πŸ‡°πŸ‡·Koreans
  • πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³Chinese
  • πŸ‡¦πŸ‡ΊAustralians

Pros / Cons

Pros

  • +Beaches and sea
  • +Pleasant atmosphere
  • +Tourist infrastructure
  • +Good for long-term stay

Cons

  • βˆ’Smaller job market
  • βˆ’Fewer corporate opportunities
  • βˆ’Tourism seasonality