Which place is cheaper, Lombok or Malang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Malang or Lombok?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Malang or Lombok? 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 Lombok?
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.
Lombok
Lombok is an island east of the well-tread Bali and west of lesser-developed Sumbawa. While Lombok is not as popular as its neighbor to the west, it is a great place to visit for that very reason. Less popularity means lower prices for accommodations, food, activities, and less-inundated tourist spots. Nonetheless, Lombok is rapidly developing in tourism, and the government is naming it and Sumbawa the number two tourism spots, following Bali.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Indonesia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMalang $66Lombok $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Malang is $66, while the average daily cost in Lombok is $52. 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 Lombok in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMalang $45Lombok $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMalang $90Lombok $58
Compare Hotels in Malang and Lombok
Looking for a hotel in Malang or Lombok? 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 Lombok Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Malang $1.42Lombok $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Malang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Malang:
- One Way Transfer from/to Yogyakarta-Surabaya-Malang-Bromo: $160
- Mount Bromo: Sunrise Guided Tour with Optional Transfer: $145
- South Beaches Tour with Private Transfer: $115
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lombok
Also for Lombok, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Airport To Kuta/kuta To Airport: $27
- Airport Transfer: Airport To Senggigi/senggigi To Airport: $70
- Airport transfer from Lombok Airport to Kuta Mandalika : $23
- Airport transfer from Lombok Airport to Selong Belanak: $33
- Eka Jaya Boat Transfer from Lombok to Padang Bai: $58
- Gili Trawangan, Air, or 1-Way Boat Transfer to Bali: $25
- Lombok Airport Private Transfer by Car: $75
- Lombok Airport Transfer : $27
- Lombok Airport Transfer ( Private ): $26
- Lombok Airport to Gili Islands - Private Shuttle & Transfer: $59
- Lombok Private Airport Transfers To Bangsal Port Lombok and Gili Trawangan: $50
- One way Private Airport Transfer To Mataram & Senggigi Area: $48
Is it cheaper to fly into Malang or Lombok?
Prices for flights to both Lombok 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 $17Lombok $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lombok
For Lombok, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Anggrek Putih Cooking Class & Garden Tour: $38
- Love and Legends: The Ultimate Romantic Dinner on the beach : $47
- Traditional Cooking Class Experience With Recipes From The Past Generations: $67
- Amazing Lombok BBQ Beach Sunset Dinner: $86
- Lombok Cooking Class at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $100
- Royal Dinner Experience in Lombok at Royal Tugudom: $117
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Malang $8.88Lombok $10
Tours and Activities in Malang
Here are a few actual costs in Malang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day - Amazing Bromo Sunrise tour with 7 spots // 00.30 -13.00: $43
- 1 Day - Bromo Afternoon Siesta Tour start MALANG or SURABAYA // 11:00 - 18:00: $83
- 1 Day - Tumpak Sewu, Kapas Biru Waterfall, Goa Tetes cave* Tour // 07:30 - 17:00: $70
- 1 Day - ULTIMATE TOUR Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and Goa Tetes cave // 07:30 - 17:30: $54
- 1 day tour bromo midnight from malang or surabaya: $127
- 1Day - Bromo Non Sunrise Tour via Malang (to avoid crowd): $75
- 1Day - Bromo Sunrise Tour via Malang (Sharing Trip): $45
- 2 Days - Bromo Ijen Bali Ultimate Tour // D1 01.00 - D2 14.00: $174
- 2 Days - Tumpak Sewu Waterfall & Mt Bromo Experience from Malang: $164
- 2Days - Bromo Sunrise Ijen Adventure via Malang: $190
- 3Days - Tumpaksewu Bromo Ijen Adventure via Malang: $267
- Bromo Adventure: $75
Tours and Activities in Lombok
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lombok.
- Gili T Island: The Thrilling Sunset Snorkeling Adventure: $17
- Lombok Private Custom Tour - Lombok Car Hire with Driver : $31
- Benang Stokel and Kelambu Waterfall Tour - Lombok Private Tour: $42
- Half-Day Mataram City Tour: $44
- Mataram Lombok Historical City tour: $49
- Lombok City Tour combination With Temple Tour : $49
- Private Lombok Waterfall Tour: Benang Kelambu, Benang Stokel & Narmada Park: $50
- Complete your Lombok Holiday with Lombok Instagram Tour: $50
- Beach Tour in Lombok Indonesia: $51
- Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep Waterfall Tour - Private Day Tour: $55
- Tiu Kelep and Sendang Gile Waterfall Trekking Tour: $55
- One Day Tour Pink Beach East Lombok Excursion: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMalang -Lombok $8.15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Malang and Lombok, we can see that Malang is more expensive. And not only is Lombok much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lombok would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lombok 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 Malang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Malang than you might in Lombok.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Malang Expensive? and Is Lombok Expensive?.
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.