Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or San Juan, 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia.
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Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $34San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $34, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.79San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $20San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Melaka and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.15San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.90
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Bus Ride$0.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [MPV]: $287
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Subang Jaya city: $228
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Singapore Car Transfer: $221
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $214
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $170
- Malacca to KUL City Hotel (One Way Transfer): $120
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $81
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Van]: $81
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
- HandyCap Transfer Airport to Dorado, Rio Grande or Luquillo: $270
- Luxury Puerto Rico Private Transfers: $220
- Single ATV Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $195
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $160
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Ponce Transfers: $150
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
- Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by Sedan: $120
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $114
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $21San Juan $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)$7.34
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.18
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.47
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.22
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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:
- Small Group Melaka After Dark Food Tour: $50
- Rempah Routes Melaka Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Melaka Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Private Traditional Peranakan & Malay Cooking Class in Melaka: $95
- Private Cooking Class - Malacca Heritage Dishes: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Food Tour with 7 Tastings of Authentic Local Flavors: $140
- FlyDining 4-Course Dinner in Old Sunset or City Lights: $165
- Puerto Rican Gastronomy Cooking Class: $167
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.15San Juan $49
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$4.90
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.45
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.71
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Low Cost Kite$0.73
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Malacca Duck Tour$9.79
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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.
- °14 Hrs Kuala Lumpur Flexible Van Tour from Melaka w' Tour Guide: $126
- *13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide: $85
- *13 Hrs Melaka Ultimate Full Day & Night Car Tour w' Tour Guide: $261
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- 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 Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $328
- Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $182
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malaysia: A'famosa Melaka Ticket: $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 1-Hour Jet Ski Adventure in the Bay: $150
- 2 Tours in 1 Day Rainforest and Beach Adventure with Transport: $44
- 3 Tours in 1 Day Old San Juan Rainforest and Beach with Transport: $44
- 3 in 1 Full Day Cueva Ventana, Indian Cave & Waterfall Adventure: $155
- 30-Minute Jet Ski Adventure in the Bay: $100
- ATV Tour in Double Rider, Puerto Rico: $221
- ATV Tour in Single Rider, Puerto Rico: $149
- Arecibo Cave Cliffside Waterfall Adventure: $99
- Arecibo: River and Natural Waterslide Adventure from San Juan: $105
- Around the Island Tour From San Juan: $148
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.49San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and San Juan, 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.