Which place is cheaper, Road Town or Kuala Lumpur?
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 Kuala Lumpur or Road Town?
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 Road Town. 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.
Where Should I go: Kuala Lumpur or Road Town?
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Kuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia PricesRoad Town Prices
BVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKuala Lumpur $83Road Town $355
The average daily cost (per person) in Kuala Lumpur is $83, while the average daily cost in Road Town is $355. 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 Kuala Lumpur and Road Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKuala Lumpur $41Road Town $206
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKuala Lumpur $82Road Town $412
Compare Hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Road Town
Looking for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur or Road Town? 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: Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kuala Lumpur $7.21Road Town $33
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.57
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Metro Ride (for Two)$0.76
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Short Taxi Ride$3.57
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Taxi From Airport$21
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Bus from Airport$1.90
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Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2 Way Transfer to or from Kuala Lumpur International Airport : $25
- AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort Hotel TO Kuala Lumpur Hotel Door to Door Transfer: $59
- Airport Transfer Private From/To KLIA, KLIA2 : $20
- Airport Transfer: Kuala Lumpur to Airport KUL by Business Car: $105
- Airport to Hotel Private Transfer - Welcome to Malaysia: $50
- Airport transfer : $100
- Aquaria KLCC Admission Ticket with One-Way or Round-Trip Transfer: $38
- Aquaria KLCC Admission Ticket with return Transfer: $49
- Arrival Private Transfers from Airport KUL to Kuala Lumpur in Business Car: $93
- Arrival Private Transfers from Airport KUL to Kuala Lumpur in Business Van: $125
- Arrival Transfer : Kuala Lumpur Airport: $43
- Arrival Transfer from KLIA/KLIA2 to IPOH: $169
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Road Town
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Road Town:
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Taxi From Airport$30
Is it cheaper to fly into Kuala Lumpur or Road Town?
Prices for flights to both Road Town 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
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Food Meals for one dayKuala Lumpur $29Road Town $110
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$9.51
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Roti Bread$0.24
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Food Court Lunch$3.42
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Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$5.11
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:
- Private Night Tour Batu Caves and South Indian Dinner: $20
- From Batu Caves Night Tour + Indian Set Dinner: $28
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $41
- Laksa Lanes Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $52
- Best Local Food Tour by Night at Kuala Lumpur : $55
- Glowing Firefly Private Tour With Dinner: $59
- Malaysia Cooking Classes With Local: $60
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $60
- Kuala Selangor Fireflies and Blue Tears Tour with Dinner (SIC): $62
- Malaysian Hands-On Cooking Class : Masala Medley : $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kuala Lumpur $15Road Town $91
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
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KL Tower Admission (for Two)$11
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Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.19
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- A Self Guided Tropical Adventure at Kuala Lumpur Hidden Treasures: $3.59
- Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park Ticket with Unlimited Rides: $5.39
- Urban Museum at Toffee Raja Chulan Admission Ticket: $6.35
- Genting Highlands: Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park Entry Ticket: $6.39
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass: $7.41
- KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.65
- REXPERIENCE: Immersive Art Gallery at REXKL: $9.77
- Museum Of Illusions Standard Admission Ticket: $9.88
- Kuala Lumpur Suburbs Batu Caves Half-Day Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $10
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day Guided City Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $10
- Malaysia Cruise Tasik Putrajaya: $10
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Road Town
Here are a few typical costs in Road Town for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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1 Hr Horseback Ride in Sage Mt. Nat'l Pk$100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKuala Lumpur $6.58Road Town $20
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kuala Lumpur and Road Town, we can see that Road Town 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 Road Town is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Road Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Road Town than you might in Kuala Lumpur.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive? and Is Road Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kuala Lumpur or Road Town?
Kuala Lumpur has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Road Town. When comparing the sizes of Kuala Lumpur and Road Town, 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.