Living in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu is a city in Sabah, Malaysia, home to 500,421 people. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are people who put healthcare first (top 1%, #2 of 442), low-income families (top 7%, #29 of 442), single parents (top 8%, #31 of 442).
Residents500,421
Density– per km²
Area– km²
Hub airport5 km (Kota Kinabalu International)
Nearest city of 100k+Itself
Within 30 km630,100 people
Sea coast2 km
Terrain around itabout 30 m, height range 360 m
Main railway line3.6 km
Distance to Kuala Lumpur1,623 km
Within 10 km614,351 people
Greater areaGreater Kota Kinabalu, 4 km out
LandscapeGreater Sunda Islands, Malay Archipelago
Winter daylight11 h 47 min, sunset 11:07
See Kota Kinabalu on the map
Open in NestlyzerGood to know about Kota Kinabalu
- The landscape belongs to the Greater Sunda Islands.
- The South China Sea is 2 km away.
- It is part of Greater Kota Kinabalu, 4 km from the city centre.
- On the shortest day the sun is up for 11 h 47 min and sets around 11:07; in late June it sets around 12:32.
How Kota Kinabalu ranks
Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in Malaysia. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Regional overview: population, geography and modelled indicators for costs, schools and safety.
| Profile | Score | In Malaysia | In Sabah | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young family | 62 | #187 of 442 | #6 of 15 | Map |
| Low-income household | 77 | #76 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Low-income family | 73 | #29 of 442 | #1 of 15 | Map |
| Single parent | 75 | #31 of 442 | #2 of 15 | Map |
| Pensioner couple | 70 | #194 of 442 | #6 of 15 | Map |
| Single pensioner | 73 | #201 of 442 | #3 of 15 | Map |
| Early retiree | 61 | #357 of 497 | #21 of 27 | Map |
| Single professional | 78 | #64 of 384 | #1 of 10 | Map |
| Young professional | 81 | #61 of 370 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| DINKS | 79 | #77 of 300 | #1 of 8 | Map |
| Remote worker | 76 | #120 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Commuter | 87 | #57 of 380 | #1 of 9 | Map |
| Car-free household | 85 | #45 of 323 | #1 of 8 | Map |
| Student | 0 | #183 of 214 | #5 of 7 | Map |
| First-home buyer | 76 | #70 of 442 | #1 of 15 | Map |
| Budget-constrained mover | 76 | #63 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Urban lifestyle seeker | 79 | #45 of 344 | #1 of 8 | Map |
| Expat professional | 81 | #67 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Healthcare-first mover | 90 | #2 of 442 | #1 of 15 | Map |
| Nature-focused household | 28 | #406 of 497 | #25 of 27 | Map |
| Cross-border commuter | 22 | #94 of 316 | #1 of 11 | Map |
| Outdoor and mountain lover | 53 | #87 of 497 | #15 of 27 | Map |
| Rural value seeker | 35 | #403 of 497 | #25 of 27 | Map |
| High-net-worth mover | 71 | #63 of 497 | #3 of 27 | Map |
| Lottery winner | 82 | #22 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Climate-resilient relocation | 69 | #53 of 497 | #2 of 27 | Map |
| Coastal living | 78 | #38 of 374 | #4 of 21 | Map |
| Business owner | 83 | #134 of 497 | #1 of 27 | Map |
| Digital native | 64 | #90 of 394 | #1 of 10 | Map |
Strengths and trade-offs
Nearby
- Petagas 7 km
- Donggongon 8 km
- Kinarut 17 km
- Papar 31 km
- Tambunan 46 km
- Bongawan 55 km
- Kampung Kundassang 55 km
- Kota Belud 58 km
Data: Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.