Which place is cheaper, Penang or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Athens or Penang?
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 Athens and Penang. 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: Athens or Penang?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
Penang
Just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia is the charming and diverse island state of Penang. As the link between the ancient kingdoms of Asia and Europe's colonial empire, this area is enriched with Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences. This exciting culture is centered in George Town, the main city of the state.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Athens Prices
Greece PricesPenang Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €154Penang €132
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Penang is €132. 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 Athens and Penang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Penang €50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Penang €100
Compare Hotels in Athens and Penang
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Penang? 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: Athens Hotel Prices and Penang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Penang €13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- "Private Airport Transfer: Athens Airport to/from Piraeus Port": $79
- "Quick Athens Highlights Tour: Airport or Cruise ship Transfers": $265
- AIRPORT TRANSFER to/from hotel (up 14 in a luxurious Minibus ): $32
- Aegean Wonders Santorini Transfers: $31
- Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece: $72
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Business Car: $86
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Car: $133
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Van: $119
- Airport Transfer: Athens to Athens Airport ATH by Luxury Van: $119
- Alimos Glyfada Vouliagmeni to Athens Airport Private Transfer: $39
- Arrival Transfer from Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Van: $136
- Arrival Transfer from Athens Airport to Athens City: $90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Penang
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Penang:
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Local Bus€1.31
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Island Ferry€0.52
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Bus From Airport to George Town€0.59
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Taxi From Airport to George Town€10
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Motorbike Rental (One Day)€6.54
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)€2.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Penang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Penang:
- Private Transfer : Penang Hotel/Port to Kuala Lumpur Hotel: $174
- Chauffeur: Penang Island to Singapore Van Transfer: $147
- Penang City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $140
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer: Penang Island to or from Perak: $140
- Penang City Hotes to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels 1-way Transfer: $125
- Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, Penang to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $120
- Swettenham Cruise Port to Penang Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $107
- Penang to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $107
- Private Half Day Tour to Penang Island with Transfer Included: $80
- ATV Ride in Balik Pulau with Snacks and Transfers: $66
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Penang?
Prices for flights to both Penang and Athens 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 dayAthens €64Penang €59
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $48
- Greek Orange Pie (Portokalopita) Cooking Workshop in Athens: $57
- Athens's original vegan food tour: $64
- Cooking Class & Meal at a Roof Garden in Athens: $68
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $68
- Athens Small Group Food Tour with Private Lunch: $72
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $74
- Athens Private Food Tour:Eat like a Greek! Seafood& Wine included: $80
- Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $80
- Around Greece in 5 Dishes: Dinner, Theater & Music: $82
- Small Group Greek Traditional Food Tour in Athens 26+ Tastings: $84
- Cook Like a Greek in Athens Hands On Cooking Class with Wine: $87
Typical Food Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Penang:
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Snack€1.75
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Dinner at The Suffolk House (for 2)€75
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Lunch at Sakae Sushi (for 2)€63
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Lassy Juice€1.53
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Dinner for 2€3.27
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Street Stall Food€0.61
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€4.14
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Italian Lunch (for Two)€10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Penang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Penang.
- Penang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Good Morning Penang Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Private Half-Day Hawker Trails Food Tour in George Town: $51
- Penang Food Tour : A Feast That Taste Like History : 17+ Tasting: $54
- Local Street Food Tour in Georgetown Penang: $62
- 3-Hour Heritage on a Plate Dinner Hop in George Town Penang: $65
- Eat Like A Local: Penang Street Food Tour: $65
- Penang Forest Island Catamaran Cruise with Dinner and Activities: $80
- Authentic Local Food Tour with Scenic Walk: $89
- Authentic Indian Penang Cooking Class: $92
- Penang Cooking Class:Dive into Malaysian Cuisine with PenangChiak: $94
- Private Half Day Penang Tasty Local Street Food Tour: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Penang €51
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Self-Guided Tour In Athens With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.42
- Ancient Athens Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.42
- Athens Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.86
- Athens, a Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $4.95
- Acropolis and Plaka Local Guided Walking Tour: $5.73
- Athens Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h20 and 29 Audio Reviews: $6.76
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.86
- South Slope Acropolis Self-Guided 3D Audio Tour (No Ticket): $8.01
- Athens Interactive City Tour: $8.02
- Athens Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $8.75
- Athens Exploration Private Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.15
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket): $9.15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Penang
Here are a few typical costs in Penang for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Butterfly Gardens€6.76
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)€6.54
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Fort Cornwallis Entrance€0.44
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Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Entrance€2.18
Tours and Activities in Penang
Here are a few actual costs in Penang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hour of Penang Street Food Walkabout Tour The Heritage Site: $59
- 4-Hour Heritage Walking Tour of Georgetown: $60
- 4-Hour Private Heritage Tour in George Town: $70
- 8 Hours of Penang Tour: $60
- Back of the Bike Street Food Experience – Real Penang!: $119
- Balik Pulau Bicycle Tour: $33
- Best of Historical George Town Half Day Tour: $80
- Bujang Valley Sharing Tour Old Civilization in South East Asia: $78
- Bukit Merah Orang Utan and Penang City Private Tour: $140
- Chinese Clan Secrets and History Guided Walking Tour in Penang: $57
- Colors of George Town Walking Tour: $161
- Culture History and Local Life Penang Half Day Experience: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Penang €16
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- The Original Athens Pub Crawl: $14
- Experience Ouzo Tasting at Athens Oldest Distillery: $27
- Athens Exclusive Hellenic Wine Tasting Experience at Brettos: $36
- Athens Rooftop Pub Crawl w/ Acropolis Views & Party: $40
- Athens Small Group Wine Tasting with a Sommelier: $52
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting: $56
- Athens Wine Tasting and Wine tour at with Castle Visit: $56
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $56
- Athens Boutique Wine Tasting: $77
- 3-Hour Shared Greek Wine Tasting: $103
- Athens Small-Group Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $103
- Athens Winery Tour with Wine Museum Entrance & Wine Tasting: $109
Typical Alcohol Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Penang:
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Beer€1.75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Penang, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Penang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Penang 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 Penang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Penang 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Penang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Penang Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Penang?
Athens has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Penang. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Penang, 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.
When is the best time to visit Athens or Penang?
Athens has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Penang experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Athens or Penang in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Athens as well as Penang. The summer months attract visitors to Athens because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Penang throughout the year.
Athens is around the same temperature as Penang in the summer. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Penang fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Penang. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Athens this time of the year. In the summer, Athens often gets more sunshine than Penang. Athens gets 357 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Penang receives 211 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Penang. Athens usually gets less rain in July than Penang. Athens gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Penang receives 210 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAthens 27°C (81°F)Penang 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Athens or Penang in the Autumn?
Both Penang and Athens are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Athens this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Penang because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Athens is cooler than Penang. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Athens in October average around 19°C (67°F), and Penang averages at about 27°C (81°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Penang. In October, Athens usually receives less rain than Penang. Athens gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Penang receives 340 mm (13.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAthens 19°C (67°F)Penang 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Athens or Penang in the Winter?
Both Penang and Athens during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Athens for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Penang year-round.
In January, Athens is generally much colder than Penang. Daily temperatures in Athens average around 10°C (51°F), and Penang fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
Athens usually gets less rain in January than Penang. Athens gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Penang receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAthens 10°C (51°F)Penang 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Athens or Penang in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Athens and Penang. Many visitors come to Athens in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Penang attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Athens is much colder than Penang in the spring. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 16°C (60°F) in April, and Penang fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Penang this time of the year. In Athens, it's very sunny this time of the year. Athens usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Penang during spring. Athens gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Penang receives 218 hours of full sun in the spring.
Penang receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Athens usually receives less rain than Penang. Athens gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Penang receives 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAthens 16°C (60°F)Penang 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Penang and Athens
| Athens | Penang | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 11°C (51°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 330 mm (13 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (67°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 340 mm (13.4 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (60°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
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.