Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Kuala Lumpur?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kuala Lumpur and San Juan. 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, 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.
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Kuala Lumpur is $62, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur or San Juan? 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.
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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.
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kuala Lumpur and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Kuala Lumpur has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Kuala Lumpur and San Juan, 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.
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kuala Lumpur and San Juan. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kuala Lumpur year-round. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Kuala Lumpur gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Kuala Lumpur usually receives more rain than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. In Kuala Lumpur, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kuala Lumpur usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during summer. Kuala Lumpur gets 200 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun in the summer.
Kuala Lumpur is around the same temperature as San Juan in the summer. The daily temperature in Kuala Lumpur averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
The autumn brings many poeple to Kuala Lumpur as well as San Juan. Kuala Lumpur attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in San Juan. Kuala Lumpur receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kuala Lumpur usually gets more rain in October than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 280 mm (11 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. In the autumn, Kuala Lumpur often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, Kuala Lumpur is around the same temperature as San Juan. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Kuala Lumpur in October average around 27°C (81°F), and San Juan averages at about 28°C (82°F).
Both San Juan and Kuala Lumpur are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kuala Lumpur throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Kuala Lumpur. In January, Kuala Lumpur usually receives more rain than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 239 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in San Juan. Kuala Lumpur usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during winter. Kuala Lumpur gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Kuala Lumpur is generally around the same temperature as San Juan. Daily temperatures in Kuala Lumpur average around 27°C (81°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Both San Juan and Kuala Lumpur during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Kuala Lumpur because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur usually gets more rain in April than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Kuala Lumpur often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Kuala Lumpur gets 199 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun.
Kuala Lumpur is around the same temperature as San Juan in the spring. The daily temperature in Kuala Lumpur averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Kuala Lumpur | San Juan | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 239 mm (9.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
May | 28°C (82°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 280 mm (11 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 290 mm (11.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 250 mm (9.8 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |