Which place is cheaper, Melaka or Mumbai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mumbai or Melaka?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mumbai or Melaka, 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: Mumbai or Melaka?
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMumbai $69Melaka $21
The average daily cost (per person) in Mumbai is $69, while the average daily cost in Melaka is $21. 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 Mumbai and Melaka in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMumbai $34Melaka $8.38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMumbai $68Melaka $17
Compare Hotels in Mumbai and Melaka
Looking for a hotel in Mumbai or Melaka? 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: Mumbai Hotel Prices and Melaka Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mumbai $7.77Melaka $1.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Premium Mumbai guided tour with transfer: $480
- Luxury Mumbai Package with Hotel,Private Airport Transfers and Sightseeing Tour: $270
- Mumbai Airport(BOM)to Mumbai Downtown-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) to Mumbai Downtown: $137
- Mumbai full day private city tour with guide and transfer: $117
- Departure Private Transfers: Mumbai City to Mumbai Airport BOM in Luxury Van: $93
- Arrival Private Transfers: Mumbai Airport BOM to Mumbai City in Luxury Van: $93
- Mumbai Airport Transfers : Mumbai City to Mumbai Airport BOM in Luxury Van: $93
- Private Dharavi Slum Tour Including Car Transfer: $91
- Local Street Food Private Walking Tour with Transfer: $90
- Global Vipassana Pagoda : Half Day Tour with Transfer: $84
- Mumbai Downtown to Mumbai Airport(BOM) Departure Private Transfer: $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.19
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Bus Ride$0.31
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]: $266
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Car]: $241
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Car]: $216
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $201
- Malacca to KUL City Hotel (One Way Transfer): $118
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $95
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Desaru Transfer [Van]: $83
- Local Transfer: Kuala Tembeling Jetty (Taman Negara) to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels: $72
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Subang Jaya city: $66
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $66
- Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels 1-way Transfer: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Mumbai or Melaka?
Prices for flights to both Melaka and Mumbai 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 dayMumbai $26Melaka $10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Virtual Authentic Indian Tea and Paratha Cooking Class: $14
- Hidden Gems and Street Food Tour: $15
- Discover Mumbai's street & beach with food tour: $17
- Mumbai Food Tour: $20
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Mumbai Food Tour: $25
- Street Food Tour - Eat like a Local with sunset view: $26
- Old Bombay Bazaar and Food Tour with local Guide: $27
- Guided Food Tour Through the Vibrant Markets of Old Bombay: $28
- Street Food Tour: $32
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $33
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Sun Set View: $38
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)$6.29
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$2.73
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.26
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.05
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$6.71
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mumbai $2.66Melaka $3.55
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- Mumbai City Tour : $100
- Private Full-Day Mumbai Sightseeing Tour with Dharavi Slums: $82
- "Best of Mumbai (Guided Full Day Sightseeing City Tour)": $127
- "Highlights of Mumbai Guided Half Day Sightseeing City Tour: $74
- "Religions of Mumbai (Guided Half Day Sightseeing City Tour): $80
- 2-Days Private Taj Mahal Sunrise Tour from Mumbai by Round Trip Flights: $231
- 2-Hour Guided Tour of Dharavi: $25
- 3 Days Complete Mumbai Tour Inclusive of Bollywood Studio Experience: $277
- 3 Hours of Pottery Making Experience in a Studio in Mumbai: $70
- 5 Hours Private Tour in Mumbai City: $74
- 7-Hour Mumbai Sightseeing + Dharavi Slum Tour + Local Train Ride: $71
- Agra Taj Tour from Mumbai: $220
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$0.63
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.19
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$9.43
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.10
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.47
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Low Cost Kite$0.63
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Malacca Duck Tour$8.39
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.10
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: $102
- *15 Hrs KL & Genting Highlands Van Tour from Melaka w' Tour Guide: $110
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in Kuala Lumpur from Malacca Port: $295
- 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 Illusion 3D Art Museum Admission Tickets: $19
- Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $219
- Malacca Shore Excursion from Cruise Port with Local Guide & Lunch: $222
- Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $222
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMumbai $3.69Melaka $7.27
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- Mumbai Pub Crawl: History, Iconic Bars, Cocktail Workshop, Stories and Drinks : $90
- Mumbai Private Bar Crawl with City Night Tour: $124
- Nashik: Private Full-Day Wine Tour with Tastings From Mumbai: $128
- Full-Day Private Wine Tour at Sula Vineyards from Mumbai: $152
- Wine Tasting Tour Sula Vineyards Nashik - (Day excursion from Mumbai): $163
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mumbai and Melaka, we can see that Mumbai 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 Mumbai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mumbai 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 Mumbai Expensive? and Is Melaka Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mumbai or Melaka?
Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Mumbai and Melaka, 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.