Should you visit Kuala Lumpur or Barcelona?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Kuala Lumpur and Barcelona. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
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.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
Which city is cheaper, Barcelona or Kuala Lumpur?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Kuala Lumpur is $53, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is $145. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Kuala Lumpur and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Kuala Lumpur, $64 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Kuala Lumpur, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $32, such as in a hostel.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Barcelona is $176. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
The average traveler spends about $11 per day in Kuala Lumpur for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Barcelona can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $32 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $13 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Kuala Lumpur $11
Barcelona $32
Typical Food prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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:
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Bachelor's Pizza Co. at EPiC Food Hall:
$1.75
-
US PIZZA in Malaysia:
$3.70
-
US PIZZA in Malaysia:
$3.70
-
US PIZZA in Malaysia:
$3.70
-
Pizza Mansion in Klang Valley:
$19
-
Amazing Local Food Tour in Kuala Lumpur:
$29
-
Cooking Class With Garden Tours in Penang:
$38
-
Discover the Best Local Food Tour by Night in Kuala Lumpur:
$39
-
Local Evening Food Tour in Kuala Lumpur:
$40
-
Malaysian Ramadhan Buffet Dinner Cultural Show - nearby KLCC:
$40
-
Bayu Balau Beach Resort 2D1N Stay at Standard Room with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner:
$41
-
Kota Kinabalu City Night Tour with Seafood Dinner:
$43
Typical Food prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
Hot Cocoa & Churro
$4.90
-
Sandwich
$2.01
-
Baguette & Horchata
$4.49
-
Tapas on the beach
$9.79
-
Gelatto
$2.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
-
Live from Barcelona to China: Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Live from Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Barcelona organic dinner in a beautiful rooftop garden:
$35
-
Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience in Barcelona:
$49
-
Hands-on Brunch Cooking Class with Bottomless Mimosas!:
$50
-
Born district food tour and tasting in Barcelona:
$51
-
Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide:
$52
-
Street Food Tour & Gothic Quater Sightseeing with Local Expert:
$52
-
Bus and Walking Tour with Dinner:
$58
-
Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit:
$59
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show and Dinner Ticket:
$62
-
Traveling Spoon Seafood Paella and Sangria Private Online Cooking Class:
$66
Local Transportation
To get around in Kuala Lumpur, the average visitor spends $5.50 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The cost of a taxi ride in Barcelona is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $18 per person, per day, on local transportation in Barcelona.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Bus Transfers for Senai International Airport (JHB):
$1.95
-
Private Transfer : Kuala Lumpur Attractions:
$7.84
-
Ferry Transfers between Langkawi and Penang by Super Fast Ferry:
$8.40
-
Ferry Transfers between Langkawi and Penang by Super Fast Ferry:
$8.40
-
Shared Boat Transfer Between Langkawi, Beras Basah, Dayung Bunting and Singa Besar Island:
$8.45
-
KL Bird Park Admission Ticket With One Way Transfer:
$8.49
-
Shared Bus Transfer between Cameron Highlands and Kuala Lumpur by Unititi Express:
$9.05
-
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer:
$10
-
Airport Transfer:
$11
-
Kuala Lumpur Shared Attraction Transfers:
$11
-
Upside Down House Gallery and Busquarium Tickets with Transfers in Langkawi:
$11
-
Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer (1-way):
$12
Typical Local Transportation prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
10 Trip Metro Ticket
$9.22
-
Airport Bus
$5.91
-
Metro
$2.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Transfer from City Centre to Barcelona Cruise Port:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Transfer from Barcelona Cruise Port to City Centre:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Airport Transfer city centre to El Prat Airport BCN:
$9.41
-
Transfers From Cruise Port to Barcelona Main Train Station( Sants Train Station):
$30
-
Transfer to Montserrat Monastery from Barcelona:
$33
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Barcelona El Prat Airport to Barcelona City:
$39
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Barcelona City to Barcelona El Prat Airport:
$39
-
Transfer in private minivan from Barcelona City to Barcelona el Prat Airport:
$55
-
Transfer from Barcelona to Valencia or viceversa:
$498
-
Transfer from Barcelona to Port Aventura Park:
$435
-
Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Barcelona CITY - ROUND TRIP:
$124
-
Transfer from Barcelona (any hotel or address) to Barcelona Airport (BCN):
$61
Is it cheaper to fly into Kuala Lumpur or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Kuala Lumpur 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.
Entertainment
In Kuala Lumpur, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $12 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Barcelona typically cost an average of $31 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Typical Entertainment prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Kidzooona Ticket in Sabah:
$1.69
-
The Sheep Sanctuary Admission Ticket at Cameron Highland:
$1.95
-
Kidzooona Ticket in Melaka:
$2.05
-
Kidzooona Ticket in Ipoh, Taiping and Kelantan:
$2.05
-
Kidzooona Ticket in Penang and Kedah:
$2.05
-
Musical Carousel & Jelly Bump Admission Ticket at The TOP Komtar:
$2.19
-
Kidzooona Ticket in Sarawak:
$2.35
-
Magic Art Museum Admission Ticket in Melaka:
$3.15
-
Penang 3D Trick Art Museum Admission Ticket:
$3.15
-
Urban Playz Admission Ticket in Penang:
$3.25
-
Melaka Crocodile and Recreation Park Ticket:
$3.49
-
White Water Rafting Adventure in Slim River :
$3.65
Typical Entertainment prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
-
#1dayBarcelona. 6-Hour Action Packed Private City Discovery Tour:
$549
-
"Gaudi’s Pedrera: The Origins" Night Show and Ticket:
$41
-
'Game Of Thrones' Small Group Tour in Girona from Barcelona:
$125
-
1 hour private sailing tour:
$158
-
1,5 hour Vermut & Sailing Experience Barcelona with drinks and snacks!:
$41
-
1-hour Private Speedboat Cruise from Barcelona:
$372
-
1.5-Hour Sights of Barcelona E-Bike Tour Led by a Local Guide:
$34
-
2 Hours Private Sailing Tour for Family and Friends:
$316
-
2 Hours Running Tour in Barcelona with Local Guide:
$35
-
2 hour Private Sunset Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$372
-
2 hour Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$47
-
2 hour Sunset Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$47
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Kuala Lumpur spend on average $5.73 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $16 on alcoholic beverages in Barcelona per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
-
Columbus Monument with Optional Wine Tasting:
$7.16
-
Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting:
$9.54
-
Backpacker Pub Crawl:
$18
-
The Original Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Barcelona Halloween Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl in Barcelona:
$19
-
Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Barcelona Wine Tasting: Catalan and Spanish Wines:
$21
-
Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona:
$22
-
Opera Samfaina: Food and Wine Tasting Interactive Experience in Barcelona:
$26
-
Wine tasting & tapas:
$39
-
Barcelona Guided Local Wine Tasting Tour:
$44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kuala Lumpur and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is Kuala Lumpur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kuala Lumpur is in Asia and Barcelona is in Europe, 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 Barcelona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Barcelona than you might in Kuala Lumpur.
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