A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Samui vs. Melaka for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Samui or Melaka?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Koh Samui or Melaka? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Koh Samui or Melaka?

Koh Samui

The largest island on the east coast of southern Thailand, Ko Samui (or Koh Samui) sees a good number of visitors every year who come for its lush rainforest, beautiful shores, and undersea wildlife. The size of the island is still small enough to allow visitors to circumnavigate it with a taxi or motorbike in a day, while hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty of inland activities in the hills and jungle.

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 Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia.


Which place is cheaper, Melaka or Koh Samui?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $79, 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 Koh Samui and Melaka in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Samui $26
    Melaka $9.51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Samui $52
    Melaka $19
Compare Hotels in Koh Samui and Melaka

Looking for a hotel in Koh Samui 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.

Hotels in Koh Samui


Hotels in Melaka


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: Koh Samui Hotel Prices and Melaka Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Samui $19
    Melaka $2.09
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:


  • Scooter Rental
    $2.36
  • Gas for Scooter
    $1.26
  • Airport Taxi
    $14
  • Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach
    $13
  • Minibus- Airport to Chaweng
    $3.77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui

Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • The Red Baron Luxury Yacht Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $171
  • Koh Samui Paradise Park Farm Admission Ticket with Return Transfer: $140
  • ATV And Zipline Experience on Koh Samui with Transfer: $127
  • Paradise Park Farm Entry Ticket with Transfer: $118
  • Guided Zipline Adventure in Ko Samui with Round Trip Transfer: $83
  • Full Moon Party Entry Tickets & Round Trip Transfers: $80
  • Private Departure Transfer: From Hotel to Airport Koh Samui by Minivan: $76
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Koh Samui Airports to Hotel by Minivan: $75
  • Private Transfer from Taling Ngam to Samui (USM) Airport: $70
  • Private Transfer from Mae Nam to Samui (USM) Airport: $69
  • Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Mae Nam: $69
  • Private Transfer Koh Samui Airport ( USM ) to Conrad Kohsamui : $55

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:


  • Taxi
    $4.75
  • 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
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $251
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $239
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $212
  • Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
  • Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $120
  • Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $99
  • ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $81
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $80
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $80
  • Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port: $66

Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samui or Melaka?

Prices for flights to both Melaka and Koh Samui 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 day
    Koh Samui $39
    Melaka $20
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $6.75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Samui

For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sunset Dinner Cruise: $77
  • Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $79
  • Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $80
  • Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $81
  • Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea on Koh Samui: $82
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise by Red Baron In Koh Samui : $83
  • Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group : $83
  • Thai Cooking Class | Since 2012 | Farm to Table: $83
  • Koh Samui Sunset Dinner Cruise: $83
  • Romantic Evening on Koh Samui’s Sunset Dinner Cruise: $108
  • Red Baron : A Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $115
  • Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Transfer: $123

Typical Food Prices in Melaka

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:


  • Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
    $7.13
  • Dinner at the Market (for Two)
    $3.09
  • Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)
    $1.43
  • Taiwanese Noodle Soup
    $1.19
  • 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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Koh Samui $12
    Melaka $4.03

Tours and Activities in Koh Samui

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.

  • Koh Madsum (Pig island) and Koh Tan Day Tour from Koh Samui: $103
  • Koh Samui Island ATV Quad Bike Adventure: $99
  • Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach: $47
  • Private Tour in Koh Samui Waterfall And Mummified Monk Temple: $198
  • Speedboat Tour to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $83
  • koh samui island and water fall tour: $50
  • 2 Hour ATV Jungle Tour In Koh Samui : $89
  • 2 Islands Sightseeing and Snorkeling Trip From Koh Samui: $48
  • 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $59
  • 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $123
  • 4-Hour Day Tour in Koh Samui: $27
  • 4WD Buggy. Mountain Tour 3 hrs. for 1-2 people per Buggy in Samui: $252

Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka

For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Maritime Museum Entrance
    $0.71
  • Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance
    $4.75
  • Trishaw Tour (One Hour)
    $11
  • Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance
    $2.38
  • Melaka Zoo Entrance
    $1.66
  • Low Cost Kite
    $0.71
  • Malacca Duck Tour
    $9.51
  • 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.

  • *13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide: $84
  • A'Famosa Safari and Water Park in Melaka Ticket (Only Malaysian): $28
  • Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
  • 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 Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
  • Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $328
  • Malacca Shore Excursion with Professional Tour Guide & Lunch: $228
  • Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $228

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Koh Samui $5.33
    Melaka $8.25


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samui and Melaka, we can see that Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui Expensive? and Is Melaka Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Koh Samui or Melaka?

Melaka has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Koh Samui. When comparing the sizes of Koh Samui 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.