Which place is cheaper, Cebu or Malang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Malang or Cebu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Malang or Cebu? 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: Malang or Cebu?
Malang
Malang is a city in East Java, Indonesia. It's a cultured city with several important universities, and is home to a large student population. Prized by the Dutch for its mild highland climate, the city retains much of its colonial architecture. Established by the Dutch in the closing decades of the 18th century, Malang earned its first fortunes from coffee, which flourished on the surrounding hillsides. Today, the city's colonial grandeur is quickly disappearing behind the homogenous facades of more modern developments, but there's still much to admire. The Balai Kota building blends Indonesian and Dutch styles, and grand mansions line the main boulevard, Jalan Besar Ijen. To the east is Mt. Bromo, a volcano with hiking trails. The central area is not too large and quite walkable. And with a number of Hindu temples and sights outside the city, Malang makes an ideal base to explore this intriguing corner of east Java.
Cebu
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMalang $66Cebu $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Malang is $66, while the average daily cost in Cebu is $65. 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 Malang and Cebu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMalang $45Cebu $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMalang $90Cebu $50
Compare Hotels in Malang and Cebu
Looking for a hotel in Malang or Cebu? 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: Malang Hotel Prices and Cebu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Malang $1.42Cebu $26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Malang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Malang:
- South Beaches Tour with Private Transfer: $115
- Mount Bromo: Sunrise Guided Tour with Optional Transfer: $145
- One Way Transfer from/to Yogyakarta-Surabaya-Malang-Bromo: $160
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Bohol Day Tour with Round-Trip Transfers from Cebu: $190
- Cebu Airport Transfer within Mactan Island, Cebu or Mandaue City: $64
- Cebu Departure Transfer from Lapu-Lapu city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $40
- Cebu Departure Transfer from Mandaue city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB) to Lapu-Lapu city: $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB) to Mandaue city: $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) to Cebu city: $40
- Cebu Seaport - Mactan Hotel (Any Hotel) - One Way Transfer: $22
- Cebu Whale Shark Snorkeling & Tumalog Falls w/ Meals and Transfer: $95
- Private One-Way Airport Transfer: $25
- Danasan Eco Adventure Park Including Round-Trip Hotel Transfer: $161
- Hotel Private Transfer Airport to Cebu, Mandaue, LapuLapu: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Malang or Cebu?
Prices for flights to both Cebu and Malang 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 dayMalang $17Cebu $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Cebu City: Historical Street and Food Tour: $67
- Cebu City Historical Street and Food Tour: $69
- Panoramic View of Cebu and Dinner with Night View: $89
- Traditional Filipino Bamboo Cooking Class: $108
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $131
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Malang $8.88Cebu $17
Tours and Activities in Malang
Here are a few actual costs in Malang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Malang local life kampong walking tour - city highlights in between // 4 - 6 hrs: $42
- 1 Day - Amazing Bromo Sunrise tour with 7 spots // 00.30 -13.00: $43
- 1Day - Bromo Sunrise Tour via Malang (Sharing Trip): $45
- Day Tour - Golden Sunrise Mount Bromo via Malang (Sharing Tour): $47
- 1 Day - ULTIMATE TOUR Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and Goa Tetes cave // 07:30 - 17:30: $54
- East Java Dirt Bike Tours: $59
- Tumpak Sewu Waterfall Experience from Malang or Surabaya: $61
- Waterfalls Tour: $63
- Private Full Day Tour of Tumpak Sewu Waterfall: $63
- From Malang city: 1 Day Mount Bromo Private Tour: $67
- From Malang or Surabaya: Private Tumpak Sewu Waterfall Tour: $68
- 1 Day - Tumpak Sewu, Kapas Biru Waterfall, Goa Tetes cave* Tour // 07:30 - 17:00: $70
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- Moalboal Sardines Run Private Tour: $20
- Cebu City Tour: Temple of Leah and many more: $36
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- Cebu City: Cebu Heritage & Uphill Tour on Two Wheels: $40
- Cebu City Tour (Joiners Tour): $41
- Guided Heritage City Tour: $44
- Highlands Guided Tour w/ Hotel Pickup: $45
- Cebu Highlands Tour(Cebu Taoist, Temple of Leah and Sirao Garden): $46
- Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour: $46
- Cebu Half Day City Tour (Private Tour): $52
- Canyoneering Experience in Kawasan Falls with Lunch: $55
- Cebu City with Sirao Garden Half Day Tour: $57
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMalang -Cebu $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Cebu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cebu:
- Cebu City Light's Pub Crawl: $99
When comparing the travel costs between Malang and Cebu, we can see that Malang is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Malang Expensive? and Is Cebu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Malang or Cebu?
Cebu has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Malang. When comparing the sizes of Malang and Cebu, 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.