Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Queenstown, 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $33Queenstown $130
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $33, while the average daily cost in Queenstown 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.51Queenstown $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $19Queenstown $110
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.09Queenstown $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.75
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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:
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port: $66
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $80
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $80
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $81
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $99
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $120
- Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $212
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $239
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $251
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $982
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $748
- Private Transfers from Queenstown Airport to Wanaka : $177
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $152
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $115
- Queenstown Airport to/from Wanaka Hassle Free Private Transfer : $101
- Queenstown International Airport to City Hotels Transfer : $90
- Queenstown private transfer: $87
- Private Airport Transfer Vice Versa in Queenstown by SUV: $69
- QUEENSTOWN:Private 1 way Airport transfer to/from CBD Hotels: $52
- ZQN Airport to Downtown|Hotels Private Transfer: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $20Queenstown $62
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)$7.13
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.09
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.43
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.19
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$7.61
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 Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $119
- Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $135
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $138
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.03Queenstown $21
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$0.71
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.75
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.38
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.66
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Low Cost Kite$0.71
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Malacca Duck Tour$9.51
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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.
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.15
- Malaysia Melaka - Breakout Escape Game E-Ticket: $13
- Malaysia: Melaka A'famosa Water Park & Safari Wonderland Ticket: $15
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- A'Famosa Safari and Water Park in Melaka Ticket (Only Malaysian): $28
- 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 To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- 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 To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$30
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 1-Hour Ultimate Jet Boat Adventure on the Kawarau River: $89
- 20-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $167
- 30-Minute High-Speed Thrill Queenstown Jet Boat Adventure : $65
- Arrowtown and Wanaka Highlights Tour from Queenstown: $125
- Beauties of Queenstown Private Walking Tour: $941
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $150
- Cardrona Valley Mountain Quad Experience from Wanaka: $215
- Convertible Picnic Tour Queenstown: $113
- Cruise Milford Small Group Day Tour from Queenstown : $221
- Dart River Canoe and Jet Boat Experience from Queenstown: $264
- Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience: $184
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown: $278
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.25Queenstown $8.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston: Join the Only Flexible Wine Tour: $53
- Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $69
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $75
- Craft Beer Brewery Tour with Lunch: $107
- Queenstown's Original Wine Tour Celebrating 33 Years: $113
- Classic Wine Tour: $127
- Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Winery Visits, Cave Tour & Cheese: $131
- Central Otago Wine Tour: $132
- Award Winning Premium Wine Tour Queenstown Tasting at 4 Wineries: $137
- Wine Tasting Tour: $144
- Afternoon Boutique Wine Tour: $149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melaka is in Asia and Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Queenstown?
Melaka has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Queenstown, 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.