A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kuala Lumpur vs. Mexico City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Kuala Lumpur or Mexico City?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kuala Lumpur and Mexico City. 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, schedule, and interests. 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.

Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.

Which city is cheaper, Mexico City or Kuala Lumpur?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kuala Lumpur is $49, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $137. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kuala Lumpur and Mexico City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kuala Lumpur $30
    Mexico City $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kuala Lumpur $60
    Mexico City $44

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kuala Lumpur $5.17
    Mexico City $8.80
Typical Local Transportation prices in Kuala Lumpur

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $3.41
  • Metro Ride (for Two)
    $0.73
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $3.41
  • Taxi From Airport
    $20
  • Bus from Airport
    $1.82
  • Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam
    $2.73

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur

Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • i-City Shah Alam Theme Park Adventure with Return Transfer: $60
  • VIP Departure Transfer : Kuala Lumpur Airport: $196
  • Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Ticket With Return Transfer: $144
  • Sunway Lagoon One-Day Admission Tickets Including Transfer: $91
  • Sunway Lagoon Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $68
  • Subang Airport Private Car Transfer: $27
  • Skip the Line: Petrosains The Discovery Centre Ticket with One Way Transfer: $26
  • Skip the Line: Petronas Twin Tower Ticket Lunch & Round Trip Hotel Transfer: $80
  • Skip the Line: PETRONAS Twin Towers Admission + One Way Transfer: $25
  • Skip The Line: Petronas Twin Tower Tickets & Round Trip Transfers: $60
  • Skip The Line: Petronas Tower & KL Tower Ticket with Round Trip Hotel Transfers: $80
  • Skip The Line Petronas Twin Towers Admission Ticket with Return Transfer & Lunch: $77

Typical Local Transportation prices in Mexico City

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:


  • Metro
    $1.00
  • Uber Ride
    $3.50

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City

Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer in private vehicle from México City to México Airport: $24
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from México City to México Airport: $47
  • Transfer AICM Airport - any Hotel in CD Mexico: $24
  • Shared Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $16
  • Shared Arrival Transfer from Mexico City Airport: $38
  • Sedan Car Private MX Airport Transfer: $84
  • Round Trip Mexico City Airport (MEX) Transfer to Mexico City Center: $45
  • Private Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Juarez Airport (MEX): $50
  • Private Transfer: Benito Juarez Airport (MEX) to Mexico: $50
  • Private Transfer From Mexico City Airport to Downtown: $42
  • Private Round Transfer from Mexico City Airport: $74
  • Private Departure transfer from Mexico City Center to Mexico City Airport (MEX): $21

Is it cheaper to fly into Kuala Lumpur or Mexico City?

Prices for flights to both Mexico City 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kuala Lumpur $10
    Mexico City $18
Typical Food prices in Kuala Lumpur

For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner at Ding Tai Fung
    $9.09
  • Roti Bread
    $0.23
  • Food Court Lunch
    $3.27
  • Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)
    $4.88

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:

  • Amazing Local Food Tour in Kuala Lumpur: $29
  • Discover the Best Local Food Tour by Night in Kuala Lumpur: $39
  • Malaysian Ramadhan Buffet Dinner Cultural Show - nearby KLCC: $40
  • Small group epic food tour! Immerse yourself in the local culture too!: $44
  • Best Local Food Tour by Night at Kuala Lumpur: $45
  • Market Visit & Garden-to-Table Cooking Class: $47
  • Yummy Yummy Street Food Tour - Kuala Lumpur By Night (Guided With Transport): $53
  • Old Markets & Beyond: Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $55
  • Cultural Night Tour with Dinner: $55
  • Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $59
  • Chef-Designed Small-Group Food Tour: $60
  • Withlocals The 10 Tastings: Kuala Lumpur Private Street Food Tour: $61

Typical Food prices in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch for Two
    $11
  • Coffee and Snacks
    $3.90

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City

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

  • Traveling Spoon Mexican Tacos and Tortillas Private Online Cooking Class: $27
  • Withlocals The 10 Tastings: Mexico City Private Food Tour: $60
  • Private Contemporary Mexican Cooking Class Inspired by Family Recipes: $68
  • 3–Hour Polanco Food Tour: $75
  • Mexican Cooking Class: $79
  • Mexico City Private Traditional Pre-Hispanic Cooking Class: $83
  • Private Mexican Cooking Lesson in a Coyoacan Apartment: $86
  • Wrestling show and a Mexican dinner: $101
  • Private Market Tour and Authentic Mexican Cooking Class with a Local in Coyoacan: $105
  • Mexican Cooking Lesson in a Local Home: $106
  • Authentic Mexican Cooking Lesson With a Gastronomic Historian in Mexico City: $109
  • Dinner at El Lago Lakeside Restaurant Mexico City: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kuala Lumpur $12
    Mexico City $10
Typical Entertainment prices in Kuala Lumpur

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • KL Tower Admission (for Two)
    $10
  • Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve
    $1.14

Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur

For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • "Port Weld"+ Orang Utan Island + Eagle Feeding + Charcoal Factory (Private Tour): $234
  • "Waterfall In The Rainforest" Templer Park, Batu Caves & Natural Hotspring Tour: $46
  • (Base On Per Vehicle Price) KL Private City Tour: $123
  • 11 Hours Nostalgic Urban Car Tour to Sekinchan from Kuala Lumpur: $195
  • 11 Hours Nostalgic Urban Van Tour to Sekinchan from Kuala Lumpur: $56
  • 11 Top Attractions: Guided Kuala Lumpur City Tour: $45
  • 11 Top Attractions: Kuala Lumpur City Tour: $21
  • 12 Hrs Kuala Lumpur Flexible Full Day & Night Van Tour: $65
  • 12 Hrs Kuala Lumpur Ultimate Full Day & Night Car Tour: $193
  • 13 Attractions Half-Day Kuala Lumpur City Tour - SIC: $10
  • 13 Attractions Half-day Kuala Lumpur City Tour - Sic: $10
  • 13 Attractions: Kuala Lumpur Half-Day City Tour: $23

Tours and Activities in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 15-Day Trip in Mexico: North 2 South Adventures: $1,553
  • 2 Days Private Guided Tour: City of the Gods, Xochimilco: $192
  • 6-Night Best of Central Mexico Tour: Teotihuacan Pyramids, Taxco, Cuernavaca and Puebla from Mexico City: $575
  • 7 Day-Monarch Butterfly Ecofriendly Tour in Mexico: $2,369
  • 8-Day Best of Mexico Tour: Mexico City to Cancun: $1,475
  • Afternoon Private Tour: Teotihuacan: $132
  • Amazing 5 day Cycling & Adventure trip in Veracruz with NOMAD Adventures: $2,254
  • Anthropology Museum Teotihuacan Pyramids and Mexico City Private Tour: $221
  • Artist Studio Tour in Mexico City: $140
  • Atvforestal Special 2 to 3 hour Tour (2 Atv´s, 2 Riders): $270
  • Best of Mexico City Private Tour: $129
  • Buenos Aires by Night Private City Tour with Tango Show: $190

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kuala Lumpur $5.38
    Mexico City $14
Typical Alcohol prices in Kuala Lumpur

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:

  • Full-Day Peña de Bernal Wine Tours: $220

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kuala Lumpur and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City 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 Mexico City is in North America, 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Kuala Lumpur.

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Kuala Lumpur vs. Mexico City Travel Comparison

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