Which place is cheaper, Melaka or Hanoi?
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 Hanoi or Melaka?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Melaka can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Hanoi or Melaka?
Hanoi
Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.
Melaka
Melaka (or Malacca) is a large city on the western coast of Malaysia about half way between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. This historical city grew up as a result of trading in the region due to its position on the namesake Straights of Malacca, a natural waterway formed from the peninsula of Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia.
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Hanoi Prices
Vietnam PricesMelaka Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHanoi $57Melaka $33
The average daily cost (per person) in Hanoi is $57, while the average daily cost in Melaka is $33. 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 Hanoi and Melaka in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHanoi $25Melaka $9.51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHanoi $50Melaka $19
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Melaka
Looking for a hotel in Hanoi or Melaka? 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: Hanoi Hotel Prices and Melaka Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hanoi $6.54Melaka $2.09
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:
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Taxi to Bus Station$1.14
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Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)$3.03
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Local Bus Ride (for Two)$0.38
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Short Taxi Ride$1.29
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Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)$0.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Cao Bang: $290
- Top-Rated Luxury Halong Bay 2-Day Cruise Including Hanoi Transfer: $285
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Vinh City: $281
- 25 Minutes Scenic Halong Seaplane from Hanoi Transfer Expressway: $280
- Halong Bay Cruise 3D2N - Kayaking Explorer & Round-trip transfer from Hanoi: $280
- Private Transfer by Dcar Limousine Ha Noi from to Sapa : $269
- Aspira Luxury Cruise Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay – 2D1N with Transfer: $269
- Private Sapa tour 3 days transfer from Hanoi by limousine overnight 3 star hotel: $264
- Luxury 2D1N Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay Cruise with 2-Way Transfer : $259
- Halong Bay Seaplane Tour with Transfer from Hanoi by expressway: $255
- Halong Bay 2 Days - 1 Night with 5 Star Cruise included transfer & pick up: $254
- Halong Bay Sightseeing With Seaplane Tour Transfer From Hanoi: $250
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.75
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Bus Ride$0.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Car]: $281
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $80
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $80
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $212
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $99
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port: $66
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $251
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $120
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $239
Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Melaka?
Prices for flights to both Melaka and Hanoi 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 dayHanoi $23Melaka $20
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:
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High End Dinner (for Two)$11
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.17
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Bowl of Pho$0.76
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Italian Dinner (for Food)$5.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.
- (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
- Hanoi Old Quarter Cooking Class Tour With Local Market Shopping : $9.71
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $18
- Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
- Hanoi local street food tour: $20
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
- Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Experience Guide & Real Foodie: $24
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Local Delicacies (3 Hours): $24
- Best Hanoi Day Street Food Tour with Real Foodie Tastings: $24
- Hanoi Food Tours: $24
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$7.13
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.09
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.43
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.19
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$7.61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Peranakan and Malay Cooking Class in Malacca: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hanoi $8.07Melaka $4.03
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi
Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Puppet Theater$1.52
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The Hanoi Hilton Entrance$1.52
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National History Museum$1.52
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Puppet Theater Ticket$2.65
Tours and Activities in Hanoi
Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Pu Luong Nature Hanoi: $169
- 2 Days Hanoi City Bus Tour Experience: $239
- 2-Day Ta Chi Nhu Mountain Hiking Experience: $228
- 2-day Explore Halong Bay in Caravella Cruise: $268
- 3D2N Cao Bang Ba Be Lake Experience: $190
- 3D2N Sapa Bac Ha Shared Tour: $245
- 4 Days 3 Nights Ha Giang Loop Tour from Hanoi by Sleeper Bus: $235
- 5 Days Motorbike Tour in Ha Giang Loop From Hanoi: $265
- All-Inclusive 2D/1N 5star Cruises: Meals-Kayak-Cave-Accommodation : $175
- Ambassador Day Cruise: Discover The Beauty of Halong Bay: $101
- Bai Dinh Pagoda Trang An and Eco Hang Mua Cave Heritage Day Tour: $53
- Beautiful Female Riders Vespa Red River Countryside Tour 5 Hours: $59
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Maritime Museum Entrance$0.71
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.75
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.38
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.66
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Low Cost Kite$0.71
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Malacca Duck Tour$9.51
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.38
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.15
- Malaysia Melaka - Breakout Escape Game E-Ticket: $13
- Malaysia: Melaka A'famosa Water Park & Safari Wonderland Ticket: $15
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- A'Famosa Safari and Water Park in Melaka Ticket (Only Malaysian): $28
- From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience: $40
- Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $48
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHanoi $7.30Melaka $8.25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hanoi and Melaka, we can see that Hanoi is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Melaka would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melaka 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 Hanoi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hanoi than you might in Melaka.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hanoi Expensive? and Is Melaka Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Melaka?
Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi and Melaka, 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.