Which place is cheaper, Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Surfers Paradise, 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 Surfers Paradise?
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.
Surfers Paradise
A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
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Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesSurfers Paradise Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $33Surfers Paradise $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $33, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise is $124. 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 Surfers Paradise in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.51Surfers Paradise $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $19Surfers Paradise $134
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Surfers Paradise
Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Surfers Paradise? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.09Surfers Paradise $11
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:
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $81
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $239
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $120
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $251
- Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port: $66
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $99
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $212
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $80
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Surfers Paradise?
Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise 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 $20Surfers Paradise $45
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 Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.03Surfers Paradise $24
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.
- *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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Surf Lesson$79
Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Catch a Crab Tour with Optional Seafood Lunch: $63
- Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Tour from Gold Coast: $80
- Glow Worms + Day/Night Rainforest & Waterfalls Experience: $133
- Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise 1 Day Pass: $30
- Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $37
- Gold Coast: 360-Degree High-Speed Jet Boat Adventure: $39
- Gold Coast: Springbrook 7 Waterfalls and Natural Bridge Day Tour: $120
- HOTA: Gold Coast Home of the Arts Cruise & Dine Experience Pass: $27
- Kangaroos & Koalas in the Wild - Private Nature Experience: $227
- Kangaroos and Mountain Views Day Tour from Gold Coast: $80
- Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's & Vineyard Tour: $86
- Natural Bridge Glow Worm Night Tour from Gold Coast: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.25Surfers Paradise $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Surfers Paradise?
Melaka has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Surfers Paradise. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Surfers Paradise, 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.