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.
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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.
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Koh Samui Prices
Thailand PricesMelaka Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samui $77Melaka $35
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $77, while the average daily cost in Melaka is $35. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samui $26Melaka $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samui $52Melaka $20
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samui $19Melaka $2.21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
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Scooter Rental$2.30
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Gas for Scooter$1.23
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Airport Taxi$14
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Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach$13
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Minibus- Airport to Chaweng$3.68
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: $166
- Koh Samui Paradise Park Farm Admission Ticket with Return Transfer: $137
- Paradise Park Farm Entry Ticket with Transfer: $118
- Thrilling 2 Hour ATV Jungle with Hotel Transfer from Koh Samui: $88
- Private Arrival Transfer: Koh Samui Airports to Hotel by Minivan: $75
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Mae Nam: $68
- Private Transfer from Taling Ngam to Samui (USM) Airport: $68
- Smooth Koh Phangan to Phuket Transfer by Catamaran and Bus: $66
- Koh Samui Beginner Friendly Jungle Treetop Zipline with Transfers: $64
- Koh Pha Ngan to Phuket Scenic Catamaran and Bus Transfer: $61
- Full Moon Party in Speedboat Transfer From Samui: $60
- Koh Phangan to Krabi Transfer by Catamaran and Bus: $56
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$5.04
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Bus Ride$0.38
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]: $282
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Taman Negara Transfer [Car]: $240
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $213
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Genting Highlands Transfer [Car]: $186
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $171
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Van]: $81
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $81
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $81
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $74
- Private Transfer from Malacca Port to Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL): $66
- °Chauffeur: Malacca to Singapore Van Transfer: $63
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $43
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
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Food Meals for one dayKoh Samui $38Melaka $21
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.60
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:
- Koh Samui Local Market Hin Ta Hin Yai and Beach Dinner: $36
- Samui Suppers Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Coconut Corners Samui Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $78
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $78
- Thai Cooking Class in Koh Samui: $79
- Thai Cooking Class | Farm to Table: $82
- Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Transfer: $85
- Thai Cooking Class from Koh Samui with Local Market: $86
- Sunset Dinner Cruise Koh Samui The Red Baron: $110
- Red Baron : A Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $112
- Koh Samui Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise with Return Transfer (SHA Plus): $120
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)$7.56
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.27
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.51
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.26
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$8.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melaka Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Rempah Routes Melaka Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Small Group Melaka After Dark Food Tour: $76
- Private Traditional Peranakan & Malay Cooking Class in Melaka: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samui $12Melaka $4.27
Tours and Activities in Koh Samui
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure in Koh Samui Mountain Viewpoints: $88
- 2 Hours ATV Quad Bike Popular Tour From Koh Samui: $110
- 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $58
- 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $120
- 3 Hour ATV Secret Waterfall Adventure in Koh Samui: $110
- 4 Hour Ultimate ATV Jungle Tour in Koh Samui Lunch Included: $140
- 6 Hours Elephant Care and Jungle Tour by 4WD in Koh Samui: $62
- ATV 1.5 Hours Jungle Safari Tour On Koh Phangan: $76
- ATV 2 hrs. Jungle Adventure on the Mountain Way in Koh Samui: $63
- ATV Jungle & Mountain Trails 30-Min Off-Road Adventure Koh Samui: $47
- Adventure Kayaking at Angthong Marine Park: $116
- Amazing Koh Samui "Must Visit" Private Tour: $177
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$0.76
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$5.04
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.52
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.76
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Low Cost Kite$0.76
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Malacca Duck Tour$10
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.52
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
- *13 Hrs Melaka Ultimate Full Day & Night Car Tour w' Tour Guide: $259
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience: $40
- 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 Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $183
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malaysia: A'famosa Melaka Ticket: $18
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.19
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samui $5.21Melaka $8.74
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.
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.