Should you visit Melaka or Kobe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Kobe, 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 Kobe?
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.
Kobe
Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is a port city in Japan also considered to be one of the country's most attractive. Though it was devastated by a historic earthquake in 1995, known locally as the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Kobe has fully recovered to its cosmopolitan splendor with plenty for visitors to see and do.
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 Tokyo, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan.
Which place is cheaper, Kobe or Melaka?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $33, while the average daily cost in Kobe is $130. 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 Kobe in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Kobe? 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
Kobe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
-
Taxi
$4.75
-
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 Cameron Highlands Transfer [Car]:
$281
-
Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city:
$251
-
Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City:
$239
-
Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]:
$212
-
Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands:
$165
-
Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands:
$165
-
Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city :
$120
-
Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer:
$99
-
~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]:
$81
-
Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]:
$80
-
Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]:
$80
-
Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port:
$66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kobe
Also for Kobe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Arima-Onsen Resort to Osaka Kansai Airport KIX-Departure Transfer:
$299
-
Airport Transfer: Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City by Business Van:
$178
-
Departure Private Transfers from Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Van:
$178
-
Kobe Airport Transfers : Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Van:
$178
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City in Business Van:
$178
-
Kobe City: Private transfer to/from Kansai Airport:
$176
-
Private Transfer from Kobe Port to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX):
$176
-
Departure Transfer: Kobe to Kobe Airport UKB by Business Car:
$161
-
Airport Transfer: Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City by Business Car:
$161
-
Private Arrival Transfer From Kobe Airport to Kobe City:
$155
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City in Business Car:
$144
-
Kobe Airport Transfers : Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Car:
$144
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Kobe?
Prices for flights to both Kobe 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
-
Food
Meals for one day
Melaka $20
Kobe $54
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Traditional Peranakan and Malay Cooking Class in Malacca:
$90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kobe
For Kobe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Okonomiyaki Cooking Class: Create Your Own Savory Pancake:
$55
-
Kobe Home Cooking Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class:
$61
-
Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide:
$71
-
Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide:
$72
-
Discover Kobe's Flavors On A Cooking Class:
$76
-
Kobe Private Food Tour with Local Guide:
$95
-
Cooking Class with Kobe Beef Sukiyaki and Origami:
$101
-
Eat Like a Local Private & Personalized Food Tour:
$224
-
Private tour in Kobe with beef dinner:
$487
Entertainment
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Maritime Museum Entrance
$0.71
-
Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance
$4.75
-
Trishaw Tour (One Hour)
$11
-
Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance
$2.38
-
Melaka Zoo Entrance
$1.66
-
Low Cost Kite
$0.71
-
Malacca Duck Tour
$9.51
-
Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)
$2.38
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
-
*13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide:
$84
-
A'Famosa Safari and Water Park in Melaka Ticket (Only Malaysian):
$28
-
Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre:
$15
-
From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience:
$40
-
Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour:
$48
-
Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour:
$49
-
Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour:
$61
-
Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour:
$49
-
Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour:
$49
-
Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive):
$328
-
Malacca Shore Excursion with Professional Tour Guide & Lunch:
$228
-
Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch:
$228
Tours and Activities in Kobe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kobe.
-
Kobe to Setouchi Triennale Art Festival Day Tour :
$264
-
1-Day Kobe Highlights Tour including Sake Tasting:
$178
-
1-Day Walking Tour around Kobe : Mountains, Sea and Sake:
$143
-
4-Hour Multicultural Kobe Walking Tour with Genuine Kobe Beef :
$177
-
Arima Onsen History Tour:
$46
-
Classic Kobe GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game:
$14
-
Cruise Shore Excursion: Kobe Sake Tasting with Local Guide:
$108
-
Full Day Walking Tour Around Kobe Mountains Sea and Sake:
$159
-
KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included):
$103
-
KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included):
$108
-
KOBE Sake Walking Tour in Japan's Top Sake Breweries:
$88
-
KOBE, SHIOYA, a quaint fishing town walking tour :
$97
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Kobe
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kobe:
-
Private Sake Tour and Tasting at a Kobe Brewery:
$82
-
Sake Brewery and Japanese Life Experience Tour in Kobe:
$87
-
Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting Sake:
$88
-
KOBE Sake brewery PRIVATE walking tour with Local guide:
$89
-
Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting and Kobe Beef Bites:
$108
-
5-Hour Nadagogo Sake Brewery Private Guided Experience:
$186
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Kobe, we can see that Kobe 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 Kobe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kobe 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 Kobe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Kobe?
Kobe has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Kobe, 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.
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