Current local time in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
The live clock above shows the time in Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu is in the Asia/Kuching time zone, UTC+8 right now.
| Country | Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Region | Sabah |
| Population | about 492,000 |
| Coordinates | 5.98° N, 116.11° E |
| Time zone | Asia/Kuching |
| Abbreviation | UTC+8 |
| UTC offset | UTC+8 |
| Daylight saving time | No |
Daylight saving time
Kota Kinabalu doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC+8 all year.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 6:20 AM | 6:26 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| June solstice | 6:03 AM | 6:31 PM | 12 h 28 min |
| September equinox | 6:04 AM | 6:12 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | 6:20 AM | 6:06 PM | 11 h 46 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Kota Kinabalu at about 12:24 PM in mid-January. On standard time, local clocks run about 16 minutes ahead of the sun, because Kota Kinabalu sits at 116.1° E, while its time zone is centred on 120.0° E.
Kota Kinabalu time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Kota Kinabalu |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 13 hours behind in Jan, 12 hours behind in Jul | |
| Los Angeles | 16 hours behind in Jan, 15 hours behind in Jul | |
| London | 8 hours behind in Jan, 7 hours behind in Jul | |
| Paris | 7 hours behind in Jan, 6 hours behind in Jul | |
| Dubai | 4 hours behind | |
| Mumbai | 2.5 hours behind | |
| Shanghai | same time | |
| Tokyo | 1 hour ahead | |
| Sydney | 3 hours ahead in Jan, 2 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Kota Kinabalu |
|---|---|---|
| Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | 178 km (111 mi) | same time |
| Sandakan | 222 km (138 mi) | same time |
| Tawau | 274 km (170 mi) | same time |
| Miri | 294 km (183 mi) | same time |
| Tarakan, Indonesia | 342 km (213 mi) | same time |
| Bintulu | 463 km (287 mi) | same time |
| Puerto Princesa, Philippines | 510 km (317 mi) | same time |
| Sibu | 625 km (389 mi) | same time |
Other cities in Malaysia
- George Town
- Kuala Lumpur
- Kelang
- Johor Bahru
- Ipoh
- Malacca
- Kuching
- Shah Alam
- Butterworth
- Kota Baharu
- Sandakan
- Seremban
- Kuantan
- Kuala Terengganu
- Tawau
- Sungai Petani
- Alor Setar
- Taiping
Questions people ask
What time zone is Kota Kinabalu in?
Kota Kinabalu is in the Asia/Kuching time zone, UTC+8, all year.
Does Kota Kinabalu have daylight saving time?
Kota Kinabalu doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC+8 all year.
Why isn't noon in Kota Kinabalu when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Kota Kinabalu's clocks follow a zone centred on 120.0° E, so on standard time they run about 16 minutes ahead of the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).