Which place is cheaper, Quito or Melaka?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Melaka or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Quito, 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 Quito?
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.
Quito
Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.
Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.
Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
-
Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $34Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $34, while the average daily cost in Quito is $66. 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 Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.79Quito $22
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $20Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Quito? 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 Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.15Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
-
Taxi$4.90
-
Bus Ride$0.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- °Sit Back & Relax - Malacca to KLIA Airport MPV Transfer: $208
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Desaru Transfer [Car]: $240
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Desaru Transfer [Van]: $89
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Singapore Car Transfer: $220
- 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
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $170
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city: $118
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $236
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [MPV]: $287
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
-
Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
- Private Transfer: Quito Airport (UIO) to Baños de Agua Santa: $160
- Arrival Private Transfer Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Minivan: $137
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
- Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer: $114
- Middle of the World Tour with Airport Transfer: $114
- Airport Transfer and City Highlights Tour: $114
- Transfer to Mashpi Amagusa Reserve one way: $109
- Arrival Transfer from Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Sedan or SUV: $105
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito 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 dayMelaka $21Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
-
Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$7.34
-
Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.18
-
Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.47
-
Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.22
-
Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$7.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Rempah Routes Melaka Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Melaka Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Small Group Melaka After Dark Food Tour: $75
- Private Traditional Peranakan & Malay Cooking Class in Melaka: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- Quito Kitchens Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- Quito Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $66
- Food Tour in quaint old town with tastings and lunch: $71
- Street Food Tour with Private Transport: $79
- Hidden Gems Food Tour with Cacao Tasting and Culture: $87
- Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.15Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Maritime Museum Entrance$0.73
-
Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.90
-
Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
-
Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.45
-
Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.71
-
Low Cost Kite$0.73
-
Malacca Duck Tour$9.79
-
Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.45
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- Melaka UNESCO City Guided Walking Tour: $5.02
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.21
- 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 Airport EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $48
- Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Small Group Melaka Flavours Food and Culture Tour: $75
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two$8.00
Tours and Activities in Quito
Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
- 2 Day Quito to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Tour with Accommodation: $281
- 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
- 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $897
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Birding Tours to see CONDORS - by Richard Hernandez: $185
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.49Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
-
Beers for Two$9.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Quito
Also in Quito, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $155
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Quito, we can see that Quito 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 Quito is in South America, 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 Quito would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quito 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 Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Quito, 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.