Which place is cheaper, Melaka or Masai Mara?
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 Masai Mara or Melaka?
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 Masai Mara and Melaka. 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: Masai Mara or Melaka?
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
Melaka
Melaka (or Malacca) is a large city on the western coast of Malaysia about half way between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. This historical city grew up as a result of trading in the region due to its position on the namesake Straights of Malacca, a natural waterway formed from the peninsula of Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesMelaka Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Melaka $35
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Melaka is $35. 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 Masai Mara and Melaka in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Melaka $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Melaka $20
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Melaka
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Melaka? 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: Masai Mara Hotel Prices and Melaka Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Melaka $2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi Airport (NBO) Private Transfer to Nairobi City/Hotels: $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$5.04
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Bus Ride$0.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $43
- °Chauffeur: Malacca to Singapore Van Transfer: $63
- Private Transfer from Malacca Port to Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL): $66
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $74
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Van]: $81
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $81
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $81
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $171
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Genting Highlands Transfer [Car]: $186
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $213
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Taman Negara Transfer [Car]: $240
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Car]: $282
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Melaka?
Prices for flights to both Melaka and Masai Mara 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 dayMasai Mara $57Melaka $21
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$7.56
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.27
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.51
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.26
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$8.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melaka Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Rempah Routes Melaka Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Small Group Melaka After Dark Food Tour: $76
- Private Traditional Peranakan & Malay Cooking Class in Melaka: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Melaka $4.27
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Amboseli N Park Day tour with optional Maasai village visit: $200
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Carnivore Restaurant Nairobi Eating Experience with Transport: $145
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Day Tour to Maasai Mara Reserve From Nairobi: $225
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $72
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $70
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Maritime Museum Entrance$0.76
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$5.04
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.52
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.76
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Low Cost Kite$0.76
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Malacca Duck Tour$10
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.52
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- Melaka UNESCO City Guided Walking Tour: $5.05
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.19
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- Malaysia: A'famosa Melaka Ticket: $18
- From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience: $40
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Small Group Melaka Flavours Food and Culture Tour: $76
- Private Half-Day Melaka Walking Tour: $82
- *13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide: $84
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Melaka $8.74
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Melaka, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Melaka is in Asia, 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 Melaka would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melaka 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 Masai Mara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Masai Mara than you might in Melaka.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Masai Mara Expensive? and Is Melaka 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.