Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur 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: Johannesburg or Kuala Lumpur?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
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 Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, 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 dayJohannesburg $95Kuala Lumpur $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, 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 Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55Kuala Lumpur $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110Kuala Lumpur $72
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg 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: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16Kuala Lumpur $6.45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Transfers Between OR Tambo and Pilanesburg : $159
- Tour operator. airport and hotels transfers chauffeur and safari tours services.: $30
- Suncity Transfer: $193
- Shuttle Transfer from Johannesburg Airport to Hazyview: $66
- Private executive transfer to sun city or airport/hotels : $119
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Sedan Car: $61
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Car: $103
- Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Sedan Car: $61
- Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $72
- Private Transfer, Airports to Cradle of Humankind & Muldersdrift : $146
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg To Pilanesberg: $221
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) to Pretoria hotels: $164
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:
- Kuala Lumpur Shared Attraction Transfers: $11
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer Services: $15
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $15
- PVT Departure Transfer <> Kuala Lumpur to KLIA 1/2: $17
- PVT Arrival Transfer<>KLIA 1/2 to Kuala Lumpur: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer (1-way): $17
- Kuala Lumpur City to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer: $18
- Kuala Lumpur Airport Transfer to Kuala Lumpur City: $18
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer : $18
- Kuala Lumpur Hotel to Airport Transfer: $18
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Arrival Transfer: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur and Johannesburg 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 dayJohannesburg $17Kuala Lumpur $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $41
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
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.Johannesburg $21Kuala Lumpur $13
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Private Full Day Johannesburg Historical Tour : $193
- Soweto half day tour including Mandela House.Private transport: $72
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- 10 Days Overland Tour-Johannesburg and Cape Town: $2,701
- 15 Days Johannesburg, Kruger National Park – Cape Town Tour: $4,052
- 3 Day Kruger National Park Tour from Johannesburg: $807
- 3 Days 2 Nights Panorama Tour & Kruger National park Safari: $832
- 4-Days Overnight Experience in The Panorama Route & Safari: $1,735
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,621
- 6 Days of The Best of Johannesburg Experience: $972
- 9 day Kruger Park Safari & Cape Town Luxury Coach Tour: $1,972
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
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:
- KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $3.95
- Alive 3D Art Gallery Admission Ticket: $7.67
- Zoo Negara Instant Entry E-Ticket: $8.12
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $9.87
- KL Tower Observation Deck Entry Ticket: $11
- KL Tower Admission Ticket: $12
- KL Tower Admission Ticket: $12
- Kuala Lumpur's Cultural Highlights and Landmarks: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Berjaya Times Square Theme Park Entry Ticket: $13
- Malaysia: Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $13
- KL Tower Admission Ticket: $13
- Suburbs and Batu Caves Half-Day Tour: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73Kuala Lumpur $6.25
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.28
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Johannesburg is more expensive. And not only is Kuala Lumpur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Johannesburg is in Africa 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 Johannesburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg Expensive? and Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Kuala Lumpur?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 39% larger than the population of Kuala Lumpur. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg 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.