---
title: "Kota Kinabalu vs Tamarindo for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kota-kinabalu-vs-tamarindo
description: "Under balanced weights Kota Kinabalu edges it, 57 to 56, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Kota Kinabalu is stronger on cost of living; Tamarindo on visa ease, healthcare. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Kota Kinabalu vs Tamarindo for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Kota Kinabalu edges it, 57 to 56, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Kota Kinabalu is stronger on cost of living; Tamarindo on visa ease, healthcare. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 63 | 37 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Safety | 70 | 62 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Healthcare | 69 | 81 | Tamarindo |
| Internet | 59 | no data | — |
| Visa ease | 74 | 89 | Tamarindo |
| Getting there & around | 20 | 14 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Climate | 17 | 25 | Tamarindo |
| Air quality | 70 | 71 | Tamarindo |
| Quality of life | 72 | 68 | Kota Kinabalu |

## Cost

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,094 | $2,006 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $1,529 | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 2.6 | 13.5 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Political stability (0–100) | 72.5 | 86 | Tamarindo |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 80 | 84 | Tamarindo |
| Life expectancy | 72.8 yrs | 78.6 yrs | Tamarindo |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 27.1 Mbps | no data | — |
| Upload | 16.9 Mbps | no data | — |

## Visa

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | DE Rantau Sarawak | Estancia para Trabajador y Prestador Remoto de Servicios | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,999/mo | $2,999/mo | Kota Kinabalu |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 180 days | Tamarindo |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 180 days | Tamarindo |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days | Tamarindo |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 34 | 31 | Kota Kinabalu |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Kota Kinabalu |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Kota Kinabalu | Tamarindo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 2 | 3 | Tamarindo |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 18.7 µg/m³ | 18.2 µg/m³ | Tamarindo |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Kota Kinabalu or Tamarindo?

Kota Kinabalu is cheaper: about $1,094 per month versus $2,006 for one person.

### Is Kota Kinabalu or Tamarindo safer?

Kota Kinabalu scores higher on safety (70 vs 62), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Kota Kinabalu or Tamarindo?

M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.

City pages: [Kota Kinabalu](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kota-kinabalu) · [Tamarindo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tamarindo). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

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