Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur?
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, often referred to as KL, is the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia. It is also the largest city in the country, having grown out of a small Chinese mining village. Today Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of the country of Malaysia. The population is split between the Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures which you can see reflected in the city's neighborhoods, cuisine, and entertainment. It's also an incredibly affordable city, even if you're looking for the comforts of a five star hotel or a luxury restaurant. Prices are almost always a fraction of what you would pay in Europe or the United States.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $67Kuala Lumpur $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Kuala Lumpur is $62. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Addis Ababa and Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $43Kuala Lumpur $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $86Kuala Lumpur $72
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $7.78Kuala Lumpur $6.45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $110
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.16
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Metro Ride (for Two)$0.68
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Short Taxi Ride$3.16
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Taxi From Airport$19
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Bus from Airport$1.69
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Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- *Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Car Transfer: $270
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Besut Transfer [Car]: $252
- Chauffeur: KLIA to Singapore Car Transfer: $238
- KUL Hotel to Penang(One Way Transfer): $237
- KUL Hotel to Johor Bharu(One Way Transfer): $237
- Marina Island Jetty/ Lumut Jetty Transfer From/To KLIA or Kuala Lumpur: $230
- KL City Hotels to Singapore City Hotels One-way Transfer: $230
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $227
- Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with 2h of Sightseeing: $223
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Car]: $222
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru Transfer [Car]: $202
- Kuala Lumpur VIP Arrival Transfer: $198
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur and Addis Ababa change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAddis Ababa $17Kuala Lumpur $15
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
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Slice of Cake$0.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa
For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $70
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
- Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $120
- Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
- HALF DAY + DINNER Addis Ababa City Tour: $140
- Half Day + Dinner Addis Ababa City Tour: $150
- Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis with transfers: $154
- Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
- Cooking Class and City Tour in Addis Ababa: $193
- Food Tour in Addis Ababa: $205
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$8.44
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Roti Bread$0.21
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Food Court Lunch$3.04
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Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$4.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- ARAS Restaurant at KL Tower Buffet Dinner: $29
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $43
- Malaysian Culture and Street Food Tour : $44
- Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Cultural Night Experience with Buffet Dinner : $53
- From Kuala Selangor Fireflies Tour with Dinner: $53
- Best Local Food Tour by Night at Kuala Lumpur : $55
- Spiritual Healing and Authentic Cooking with Local Host: $61
- Kuala Lumpur by Night and Malaysian Food Tour: $61
- Eat Like a Local: Kuala Lumpur Hawker Center and Street Food Tour by Night: $62
- Petaling Street Heritage Food Tour: $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $8.03Kuala Lumpur $13
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis Ababa City Tours Full-Day Tours : $113
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $311
- 3 Days Visiting Harar and Dire Dawa Tours: $480
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $69
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa highlights city tour from Bole airport: $75
- 5 Days Visiting Tigray Churches Tours: $1,200
- 9 Days Omo Valley and Danakil Danakil Depression tour: $3,875
- A guided tour of Addis Abeba that includes a city viewpoint: $65
- Addis Ababa - Half Day City Tour: $180
- Addis Ababa Authentic Private City Tour: $75
- Addis Ababa Bole Airport Culinary and Walking Tour : $69
- Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
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KL Tower Admission (for Two)$9.49
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Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.05
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Adventure Sports & Thrilling White-water Rafting in Kampar River: $242
- Batu Caves And Countryside Tour: $24
- Full Day Kuala Lumpur City Tour with Petronas Twin Tower Tickets: $95
- Full Day Melaka Tour with The Shore Sky Tower 43rd Floor - Unesco Heritage: $189
- History, Heritage & Culture Of Malaysia Tour: $62
- Kuala Lumpur (Genting Highlands 7.5 hours Private Tour): $66
- Kuala Lumpur Full Day City & Shopping Tour with Lunch (PRIVATE TOUR): $77
- Kuala Lumpur Morning Food Experience Tour: $88
- Malacca Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $184
- Malaysia: Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $13
- Shah Alam Islamic Arts and Culture Tours : $31
- *12 Hrs Kuala Lumpur Van Tour from Bentong w' Tour Guide: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.63Kuala Lumpur $6.25
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $55
- Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
- The Pub Crawl Royale: A Battle of the Best Drinks: $65
- Locally crafted beer and wine tasting and nightlife in Addis tour: $65
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $69
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$9.49
When comparing the travel costs between Addis Ababa and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Addis Ababa is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Addis Ababa is in Africa and Kuala Lumpur is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 90% larger than the population of Kuala Lumpur. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Kuala Lumpur, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.