Which place is cheaper, Beijing or Melaka?
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 Melaka or Beijing?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Beijing, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Melaka or Beijing?
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.
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesBeijing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $33Beijing $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $33, while the average daily cost in Beijing is $96. 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 Melaka and Beijing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.67Beijing $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $19Beijing $84
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Beijing
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Beijing? 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: Melaka Hotel Prices and Beijing Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.12Beijing $8.22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.83
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Bus Ride$0.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Ipoh Transfer [Van]: $98
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuala Besut Transfer [Van]: $118
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $43
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Hotels 1-way Transfer: $43
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $74
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $170
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $245
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $233
- Private Transfer from Malacca Port to Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL): $64
- Sit Back & Relax - Malacca to KLIA Airport MPV Transfer: $191
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [MPV]: $284
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $81
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$5.02
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Train from Airport for Two$7.35
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Taxi to Hotel$8.83
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2 Metro Passes$2.35
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Metro$0.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- Pivate Transfer To Datong Yungang Grottoes From Beijing: $598
- Beijing Layover Private Tour: City Highlights With Airport Transfer: $300
- Beijing Acrobatics Show And Peking Opera Tour With Transfer: $299
- Beijing Great Wall and Imperial Palace Private Tour with Airport Transfer: $299
- Beijing Layover Tour with Hutong, Temple of Heaven and Airport Transfer: $296
- Private Day Tour of Beijing City Overview with Airport Transfer: $285
- Beijing Private Transfer: Mutianyu Great Wall Slow-Paced Visit: $280
- Private Transfer to Beidaihe Summer Resort from Beijing: $272
- Private Transfer To Guyaju Ancient Cave(With Options): $269
- Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City Private Tour With Airport Transfer: $249
- Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking Private Tour With Airport Transfer: $249
- 1 Day Pass for Universal Beijing and Private Transfer Package: $230
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Beijing?
Prices for flights to both Beijing and Melaka 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 dayMelaka $21Beijing $36
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)$7.25
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.14
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.45
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.21
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$7.73
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
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.88
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Hot Pot Dinner$7.35
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.94
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Watermelon$2.06
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$18
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Two Popsicles$0.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $25
- Beijing Dumpling Cooking Class Private Courtyard Cafe: $40
- Beijing Food Tour: $40
- Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- 3.5-Hour Walking Food Tour: A Bite of History at Beijing Niujie Street: $49
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $54
- China's Favourite Street Food Cooking Workshop: $55
- Experience Beijing Walking Food Tour Private: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.10Beijing $26
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$0.73
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.83
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.42
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.69
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Low Cost Kite$0.73
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Malacca Duck Tour$9.67
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.42
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- Melaka UNESCO City Guided Walking Tour: $5.04
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.14
- Malaysia Melaka - Breakout Escape Game E-Ticket: $12
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- Malaysia: A'famosa Melaka Ticket: $17
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.83
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Two Opera Tickets$63
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$10
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Forbidden City (for 2)$18
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Forbidden City Tickets$18
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$12
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour to Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall: $150
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour to Lama Temple,Summer Palace and Hutong Rickshaw: $120
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Hutong Rickshaw Riding: $277
- 1-Day Beijing tour to Temple of Heaven,Hutong Tour,Lama Temple & Summer Palace: $240
- 1-Day Great Wall of China Tours from Beijing Capital Airport to Mutianyu: $269
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Tour: $175
- 1-Day Mutianyu Great Wall and Beijing Airport Drop off Tour: $235
- 1-Day Private Tour: Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking with the lunch from Beijing: $213
- 1-Day Private Tour: Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour from Beijing: $256
- 1-Day Self-Guided Simatai and Gubei Town Night Tour from Beijing: $149
- 1Day Beijing Palace Museum City park Tour: $120
- 2 Day Private Xian Tour from Beijing: $268
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.38Beijing $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Tipsy Travel: Beijing Local Food and Bar Crawl night in Hutong: $138
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
- Beijing Brewery Bike Tour: $199
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Beijing, we can see that Beijing is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Beijing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beijing 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 Melaka Expensive? and Is Beijing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Beijing?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Beijing, 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.