Climate · Asia
Kota Kinabalu climate, year-round
Malaysia · Tropical maritime (Borneo) · Updated May 2026
Best months
Mar · Apr · May · Jun
Best for: Equatorial-stable nomads who can plan around the October–November rain peak.
Year at a glance
Cells coloured by typical daytime average temperature. ★ = best months for nomads.
Jan
27°C
80%
5mm
Feb
27°C
80%
3mm
Mar
27°C
80%
3mm
Apr
28°C
80%
4mm
May
28°C
80%
5mm
Jun
28°C
80%
6mm
Jul
28°C
80%
6mm
Aug
28°C
80%
7mm
Sep
28°C
82%
9mm
Oct
28°C
83%
12mm
Nov
27°C
83%
11mm
Dec
27°C
82%
8mm
Summer peak
28°C
April · 80% humidity
Winter low
27°C
January · 80% humidity
Climate type
Tropical maritime (Borneo)
Humid summers, Humid winters
Field notes
Equatorial — temperature is genuinely stable year-round (27–28°C). Humidity is the constant (80%+ all months). Rain peaks October–December (10–12 mm/day) on the back of the northeast monsoon. The drier-sunnier window is February–May, which aligns with the best Sipadan diving conditions.
Visa for nomads
High nomad-friendlyPathway
Digital nomad visa
Program
DE Rantau
Typical max stay
24 months
DE Rantau Nomad Pass ($24K/year income, 12-month + 12-month extension).
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.
Cost of living in Kota Kinabalu: ~$1,220/mo
Mid-tier monthly across rent, food, transport, utilities, and coworking.
Cities with a similar climate
Editorial estimates aggregated from public climatological summaries — typical monthly averages, not forecasts. Treat as order-of-magnitude. Microclimate, altitude, and recent extreme weather can swing these values significantly.