Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Ankara or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Kuala Lumpur. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Kuala Lumpur?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
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 Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
-
Ankara Prices
Turkey PricesKuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $119Kuala Lumpur $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $119, while the average daily cost in Kuala Lumpur is $79. 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 Ankara and Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $48Kuala Lumpur $39
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $96Kuala Lumpur $78
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Ankara 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: Ankara Hotel Prices and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $32Kuala Lumpur $6.89
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
-
Metro Ride$0.03
-
Short Taxi Ride$0.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $52
- Private Transfer Ankara Esenboga Airport ESB to Keçiören Ankara: $40
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Ankara Airport to Cankaya Hotels: $52
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $52
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $55
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $110
- Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $43
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $110
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride$3.38
-
Metro Ride (for Two)$0.72
-
Short Taxi Ride$3.38
-
Taxi From Airport$20
-
Bus from Airport$1.80
-
Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer in Kuala Lumpur: $37
- *Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Transfer [Van]: $180
- 2 Way Transfer to or from Kuala Lumpur International Airport : $25
- AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort Hotel TO Kuala Lumpur Hotel Door to Door Transfer: $59
- Airport Arrival Transfer-VIP Class: $200
- Airport Transfer from/to KLIA /KLIA 2: $25
- Airport to Hotel Private Transfer - Welcome to Malaysia: $50
- Airport transfer: $27
- Airport transfer : $40
- Aquaria KLCC E-Ticket with One Way Transfer: $42
- Arrival Private Transfers from Airport KUL to Kuala Lumpur in Business Car: $90
- Arrival Transfer - Kuala Lumpur Airport To Genting Highlands: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur and Ankara 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
-
Food Meals for one dayAnkara $48Kuala Lumpur $28
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
-
A Quick Lunch$0.30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.
- Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $90
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$9.02
-
Roti Bread$0.23
-
Food Court Lunch$3.25
-
Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$4.85
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:
- Private Night Tour Batu Caves and South Indian Dinner: $20
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $42
- Kuala Lumpur's Urban Evening Food Tour: $45
- Kuala Lumpur Night View With Dinner Soups And Nasi Lemak: $47
- Laksa Lanes Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Shared Fireflies Tour with Blue Tears and Seafood Dinner: $50
- Sambal Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $52
- Local Market Visit & Cooking Class : $55
- Malaysia Cooking Classes With Local: $60
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $60
- Kuala Selangor Fireflies and Blue Tears Tour with Dinner (SIC): $62
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $29Kuala Lumpur $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Underground City$0.21
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 5 Days Hittite Monuments Tour with Specialist Guide: $2,024
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $35
- Ankara Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $33
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $232
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $34
- Private Tour with a Local: $40
- Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $33
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
- Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
- Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
- Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
- Private Ankara Sightseeing Tour: $235
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
KL Tower Admission (for Two)$10
-
Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.13
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- A Self Guided Tropical Adventure at Kuala Lumpur Hidden Treasures: $1.73
- Urban Museum at Toffee Raja Chulan Admission Ticket: $6.05
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass: $7.08
- Kuala Lumpur Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Museum Of Illusions Standard Admission Ticket: $9.20
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day City Tour (SIC - Join In Tour) : $10
- Kuala Lumpur Suburbs Batu Caves Half-Day Tour (SIC-Join In Tour): $10
- Selangor: Zoo Negara E-Ticket: $11
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $12
- Kuala Lumpur Suburbs: Batu Caves Half-Day Tour: $12
- Half-Day City Tour: $12
- Malaysia: Aquaria KLCC Admission E-Ticket: $13
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $13Kuala Lumpur $6.68
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
-
Bottle of Wine$10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Kuala Lumpur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and Kuala Lumpur is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Kuala Lumpur would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kuala Lumpur and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Kuala Lumpur.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Kuala Lumpur?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Kuala Lumpur. When comparing the sizes of Ankara 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.