A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Malang vs. Tiger Leaping Gorge for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Malang or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

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

Should I visit Malang or Tiger Leaping Gorge? 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge?

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.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

One of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge gets its name from legend, where a tiger used a great rock in the center of the gorge as a stepping stone to leap from one side to the other. It is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery on either side with the Yangtze River rushing down through its center. Visitors come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike and witness its natural beauty.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.


Which place is cheaper, Tiger Leaping Gorge or Malang?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Malang is $66, while the average daily cost in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $41. 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Malang $45
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $13
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Malang $90
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $26
Compare Hotels in Malang and Tiger Leaping Gorge

Looking for a hotel in Malang or Tiger Leaping Gorge? 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.

Hotels in Malang


Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Malang $1.42
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $17

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Malang or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

Prices for flights to both Tiger Leaping Gorge 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Malang $17
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $16

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Malang $8.88
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $15

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Malang -
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $6.36


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Malang and Tiger Leaping Gorge, we can see that Malang is more expensive. And not only is Tiger Leaping Gorge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tiger Leaping Gorge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Malang Expensive? and Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Expensive?.