Kota Kinabalu
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Annual revenue (actual)
RM56.8k
12 mo avg
↓17%
from prior 12 mo
Occupancy rate
41%
12 mo avg
↓10%
from prior 12 mo
Avg daily rate
RM313
12 mo avg
↑4%
from prior 12 mo
Lead time
20 days
12 mo avg
↓4 days
from prior 12 mo
Revpar
RM115
12 mo avg
↓18%
from prior 12 mo
Methodology note: Figures reflect Kota Kinabalu market data as of October 2026. Data covers Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com listings. Values are seasonally influenced; rounding applied for readability.
Revenue per listing by bedroom
Annual revenue per listing, broken down by bedroom count. Compare which property sizes perform best.
Bedroom count:
0
1
2
3
4+
Short-term rental supply growth
Tracks how the number of active listings changes over time. Rising supply with flat revenue may indicate saturation.
Performance metrics by bedroom
Breakdown of revenue, property values, yields, supply, and cleaning fees for each bedroom type.
Bedrooms
Annual Rev
Supply
Revenue boost by amenity
Shows how specific amenities impact revenue. Beware false correlation i.e. more expensive properties tend to have pools or views.
| Amenity | Listings With | Revenue Boost | Revenue With | Revenue Without |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Tub | — | +RM 32,462 | — | — |
| Barbecue | 🔒 1•• (•%) | 🔒 +RM 2•••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 8•••• | 🔒 RM 6•••• |
| TV | 🔒 1••• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 1•••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 6•••• | 🔒 RM 5•••• |
| Parking | 🔒 1••• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 1•••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 6•••• | 🔒 RM 5•••• |
| Pets Allowed | 🔒 1•• (•%) | 🔒 +RM 1•••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 7•••• | 🔒 RM 6•••• |
| Pool | 🔒 1••• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 8••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 6•••• | 🔒 RM 5•••• |
| Heating | 🔒 2•• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 8••• (+••%) | 🔒 RM 7•••• | 🔒 RM 6•••• |
| Internet | 🔒 1••• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 5••• (+•%) | 🔒 RM 6•••• | 🔒 RM 6•••• |
| Gym | 🔒 7•• (••%) | 🔒 +RM 2••• (+•%) | 🔒 RM 6•••• | 🔒 RM 6•••• |
Nightly rate by day of week
Average nightly rate for each day of the week. Most markets see higher rates on weekends.
Occupancy rate by day of week
Shows booking patterns throughout the week. Helps understand demand cycles.
Listings by channel
Listings by rental type
Listings by amenities
Listings by size
4+ bedrooms (0%)
Listings by availability
Length of stay by bedroom
3 bedrooms (3.9 nights)
1 bedroom (3.6 nights)
2 bedrooms (3.3 nights)
4+ bedrooms (3.2 nights)
Studio (2.6 nights)
Cleaning fee by bedroom
4+ bedrooms (MYR 21)
3 bedrooms (MYR 15)
2 bedrooms (MYR 12)
1 bedroom (MYR 10)
Studio (MYR 10)
Professional host share
Professionally managed (86%)
Independent hosts (14%)
Over the 12 months ending September 2026, the Kota Kinabalu market averaged 2,388 active Airbnb and VRBO listings, up 16% from a year earlier and up 165% over two years.
An average Kota Kinabalu listing earns MYR48K/year. High-performing listings earn MYR114K, while low-performing listings earn MYR16K.
Average occupancy in Kota Kinabalu is 32%, producing RevPAR of MYR100 per available night.
4+ bedroom listings generate the highest average annual revenue in Kota Kinabalu, at MYR102K.
Rules vary across Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu: Lenient. No specific STR regulations or licensing requirements. Tourism operations fall under general business registration. Minimal enforcement of accommodation standards. Tuaran: Lenient. No dedicated STR framework. Operates under general tourism guidelines with minimal oversight. Very light enforcement. Kota Belud: Lenient. No specific STR regulations exist. Homestays operate informally under tourism promotion. Virtually no enforcement of accommodation rules. Verify requirements for the property's jurisdiction.
The Kota Kinabalu Airbnb and VRBO market shows signs of oversaturation. Supply has grown 16% year-over-year, while RevPAR has decreased 6%, suggesting supply is outpacing demand.
RevPAR is highest in December and August; it is lowest in November and March.
The most common amenities are Kitchen (96%), TV (95%), Air Conditioning (95%). The strongest positive revenue associations are Bbq (+40%), Washing Machine (+33%), TV (+27%).
Average daily rate in Kota Kinabalu is MYR354, up 8% year-over-year. Rates peak in December and are lowest in November.
Guests in Kota Kinabalu book an average of 19 days in advance, down 12% from last year. Booking windows range from 18 days for 1-bedroom listings to 30 days for 4+ bedroom listings.
Booking demand is highest on Saturday and lowest on Tuesday. Nightly rates peak on Friday and are lowest on Thursday. Weekend occupancy is 33% higher than weekday occupancy.
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