Which place is cheaper, Tanah Rata or Taipei?
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 Taipei or Tanah Rata?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Tanah Rata. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Taipei or Tanah Rata?
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia.
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Taipei Prices
Taiwan PricesTanah Rata Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $206Tanah Rata $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $206, while the average daily cost in Tanah Rata is $192. 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 Taipei and Tanah Rata in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $155Tanah Rata $76
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $310Tanah Rata $152
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Tanah Rata
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Tanah Rata? 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: Taipei Hotel Prices and Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $11Tanah Rata $33
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.15
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Easycard$9.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Beito to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)-Departure Transfer: $192
- Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei city - Arrival Private Transfer : $104
- Keelung Cruise Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) - Departure Private Transfer: $144
- Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport: $139
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $42
- Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City: $76
- Private Transfer from Keelung Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $133
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $154
- Private Transfer Service Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur: $229
- Departure Transfer from Cameron Highland to KLIA/KLIA2: $169
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $125
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Ipoh Hotel Transfer: $65
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Tanah Rata?
Prices for flights to both Tanah Rata and Taipei 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 dayTaipei $29Tanah Rata $87
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$17
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Lunch at The Can$7.28
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EasyCard$33
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Lunch$3.14
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Lunch$1.98
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Dinner$6.62
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Lunch$3.80
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Lunch$4.96
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Louisa coffee$3.14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea: $45
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $45
- Local Favorites: Taiwan Night Market Food Tour in 2 hours: $49
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B : $65
- Private Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $70
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites: $82
- Private Street Food Tour of Taipei with a Local Guide: $84
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$6.42
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Dessert$0.71
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Lunch$4.52
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Afternoon tea$4.40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $18Tanah Rata $39
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Walking Tours in Taipei Dihua, Longshan Temple, Shuanglian Market: $5.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
- Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour: $5.00
- Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.57
- Taiwan Museum, MOCA Taipei & Miniatures Museum Entry Tickets: $8.53
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$6.42
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$24
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $35
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Join in Tour: $49
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands Private Sightseeing Tour : $211
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Tour: $61
- Cameron Highlands: Mossy Forest Tour: $30
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $19Tanah Rata $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $145
When comparing the travel costs between Taipei and Tanah Rata, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Tanah Rata Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Tanah Rata?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 1120 times larger than the population of Tanah Rata. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Tanah Rata, 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.