Which place is cheaper, Melaka or Kota Kinabalu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Kota Kinabalu or Melaka?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kota Kinabalu 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: Kota Kinabalu or Melaka?
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu, originally Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, which is on the northern part of the island of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu is located just between the western side of the island and Tambunan Rafflesia Forest Reserve. Most of Kota Kinabalu's historic buildings were destroyed by bombing during World War II, so the city had to be rebuilt. KK, as it's commonly called, is a compact, but booming town today, with its new shopping centers, seaside condominiums, and bustling marketplaces.
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 Luxury Tours to Malaysia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Kota Kinabalu.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKota Kinabalu $49Melaka $21
The average daily cost (per person) in Kota Kinabalu is $49, while the average daily cost in Melaka is $21. 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 Kota Kinabalu and Melaka in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKota Kinabalu $18Melaka $8.38
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKota Kinabalu $36Melaka $17
Compare Hotels in Kota Kinabalu and Melaka
Looking for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu 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: Kota Kinabalu Hotel Prices and Melaka Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kota Kinabalu $22Melaka $1.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kota Kinabalu:
- Kota Kinabalu Hotel to Jetty Round Trip Transfer: $52
- Borneo to Kota Kinabalu Airport(BKI) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $32
- Monsopiad Cultural Village Visit with Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu: $31
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI): $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kota Kinabalu Hotels to Kinabalu Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Port to Kota Kinabalu hotels: $28
- Transfer from Kota Kinabalu Airport BKI to Kota Kinabalu Port: $28
- One Way Transfer from Kota Kinabal Airport to/from Kota Kinabali: $25
- Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinab Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer: Kota Kinabalu International Airport to/from Hotel: $20
- Kota Kinabalu Airport Private Transfer with 1 hour Charter: $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
-
Taxi$4.19
-
Bus Ride$0.31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Seremban city: $38
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Hotels 1-way Transfer: $43
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $43
- Malacca to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer: $45
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $49
- Melaka Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Hotels 1-way Transfer: $50
- Melaka Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport 1-way Transfer: $50
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $50
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels 1-way Transfer: $50
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $66
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Subang Jaya city: $66
Is it cheaper to fly into Kota Kinabalu or Melaka?
Prices for flights to both Melaka and Kota Kinabalu 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 dayKota Kinabalu $15Melaka $10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kota Kinabalu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kota Kinabalu.
- Private Kinabalu Night Tour with Cultural Show and Dinner: $62
- Kota Kinabalu K2 Fireflies Sunset River Cruise Tour with Dinner: $86
- Ethnic Cooking Class & Upside Down House & 3D Wonders Museum: $92
- Half Day Klias Mangrove Wildlife and Fireflies with dinner: $144
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $187
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
-
Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$6.29
-
Dinner at the Market (for Two)$2.73
-
Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.26
-
Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.05
-
Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$6.71
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kota Kinabalu $5.67Melaka $3.55
Tours and Activities in Kota Kinabalu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kota Kinabalu are as follows:
- Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise: $46
- Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour: $50
- Borneo Combo Adventure: $200
- Cowboy Town & Fireflies River Cruise: $62
- Cultural Night Tour From Kota Kinabalu : $64
- Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour: $149
- Discover Sailing Experience in Tanjung Aru Beach: $75
- From Kota Kinabalu : Kiulu River White Water Rafting Tour: $131
- Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing: $40
- Full Day River Rafting with ATV Adventure in Kiulu : $292
- Indigenous Weaving Experience: $236
- Island Hopping Tour (2 Island) From Kota Kinabalu: $77
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Maritime Museum Entrance$0.63
-
Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.19
-
Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$9.43
-
Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.10
-
Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.47
-
Low Cost Kite$0.63
-
Malacca Duck Tour$8.39
-
Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.10
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- Melaka Upside Down House Admission Tickets: $4.49
- Melaka Upside Down House Admission Tickets: $12
- Malacca Illusion 3D Art Museum Admission Tickets: $19
- 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 City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- *14 Hrs Kuala Lumpur Flexible Van Tour from Melaka w' Tour Guide: $102
- *15 Hrs KL & Genting Highlands Van Tour from Melaka w' Tour Guide: $110
- Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $219
- Malacca Shore Excursion from Cruise Port with Local Guide & Lunch: $222
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKota Kinabalu $6.34Melaka $7.27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kota Kinabalu and Melaka, we can see that Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu Expensive? and Is Melaka Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kota Kinabalu or Melaka?
Kota Kinabalu has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Kota Kinabalu 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.