A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tanah Rata vs. Singapore for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tanah Rata or Singapore?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Tanah Rata or Singapore? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Tanah Rata or Singapore?

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.

Singapore

Singapore is a city-state that was originally founded in 1819 as a British trading colony. Today it is a very international country that is incredibly modern and cosmopolitan. There is a strong financial industry in this country, and a correspondingly strong work ethic. It is one of the most prosperous cities in the world, and has one of the world's busiest ports.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, The Best Budget Tours to Singapore, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Singapore.


Which place is cheaper, Singapore or Tanah Rata?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tanah Rata is $192, while the average daily cost in Singapore is $179. 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 Tanah Rata and Singapore in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tanah Rata $76
    Singapore $101
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tanah Rata $152
    Singapore $202
Compare Hotels in Tanah Rata and Singapore

Looking for a hotel in Tanah Rata or Singapore? 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.

Hotels in Tanah Rata


Hotels in Singapore


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: Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tanah Rata $33
    Singapore $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:

  • Cameron Highlands to Ipoh Hotel Transfer: $65
  • Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
  • Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
  • Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
  • Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
  • Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
  • CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
  • Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
  • Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $125
  • Cameron Highland to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $153
  • Cameron Highland to Kuala Besut Jetty One Way SIC Transfer: $154
  • Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $155

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Singapore

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Singapore:


  • Taxi to Airport
    $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Singapore

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Singapore:

  • 13 Seater Minibus Airport / City Transfer in Singapore: $76
  • 7 Seater Airport / City Transfer Singapore: $68
  • Airport Transfer: $85
  • Airport Transfer: SIN Airport to Singapore by Luxury Van: $120
  • Airport Transfer: Singapore to SIN Airport by Business Car: $102
  • Airport Transfer: Singapore to SIN Airport by Luxury Car: $157
  • Airport Transfer: Singapore to SIN Airport by Luxury Van: $120
  • Airport to Hotel Transfer in Singapore: $80
  • Changi Airport (SIN) Private Transfer to Singapore/Johor Bahru: $24
  • City Experience + Roundtrip Transfers: $31
  • Harbourfront Cruise Center, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $215
  • Lion City Night Out + Roundtrip Transfers: $81

Is it cheaper to fly into Tanah Rata or Singapore?

Prices for flights to both Singapore and Tanah Rata 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 day
    Tanah Rata $87
    Singapore $50
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:


  • Dinner for Two
    $6.42
  • Dessert
    $0.71
  • Lunch
    $4.52
  • Afternoon tea
    $4.40

Typical Food Prices in Singapore

Some typical examples of dining costs in Singapore are as follows:


  • Breakfast
    $4.75
  • Sugarcane Juice
    $1.56

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Singapore

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Singapore.

  • Chinatown Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $49
  • Secrets of Singapore Kick Scooter Tour with Dinner: $54
  • Secrets of Singapore Kick Scooter Tour with Dinner: $55
  • Singapore Food Tours - Chinatown Complex Hawker: $58
  • Authentic Singapore Street Food Tour: $60
  • Plant-Based Food Tour with Local Guide: $61
  • Small Group: Michelin and Local Hawker Food Tour: $68
  • Hawker Center Street Food Tour with Guide: $69
  • Guided Street Food Tour at Night: $70
  • Local Hawker Food Tour with Tastings: $70
  • Hawker Culture Food Tour and Sightseeing: $75
  • Eat and Snap in Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $76

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tanah Rata $39
    Singapore $34
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:


  • Tea Factory Visit
    $6.42
  • 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: Mossy Forest Tour: $30
  • Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $35
  • Cameron Highlands Full Day Join in Tour: $49
  • Cameron Highlands: Agro Tour: $61
  • Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
  • Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
  • Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
  • Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
  • Cameron Highlands Private Sightseeing Tour : $211
  • Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292

Tours and Activities in Singapore

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Singapore are as follows:

  • Follow the Money: A self-guided audio tour of Singapore's Financial District: $5.00
  • Artoholic A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
  • Peranakan Museum Admission Ticket: $6.54
  • The Civic District with Singapore Boy Hossan Leong: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • Science Center E-Ticket: $7.47
  • Gardens by the Bay Bundle Entry Ticket: $7.78
  • Indian Heritage Centre Entrance Ticket: $7.78
  • Outdoor Audio Tour at Gardens by the Bay: $8.27
  • BikingSG Best of Take in the sights on a relaxed audio cycling tour: $8.31
  • Singapore Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $8.40
  • National Orchid Garden Entry Tickets: $8.40
  • Indian Heritage Centre Admission Ticket: $8.51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tanah Rata $21
    Singapore $28

Sample the Local Flavors in Singapore

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Singapore:

  • Party Singapore Bespoke Pub Crawl: $30
  • Singapore Pub Crawl: $36
  • Singapore Pub Crawl - Party like a Local: $39
  • Brass Lion Gin Distillery Tour Ticket: $41
  • LeVeL33 Rooftop Brewery Tour & Craft Beer Tasting: $77
  • LeVeL33 Craft-Brewery Restaurant & Lounge Package: $193


When comparing the travel costs between Tanah Rata and Singapore, we can see that Tanah Rata 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 Tanah Rata Expensive? and Is Singapore Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tanah Rata or Singapore?

Singapore has a larger population, and is about 510 times larger than the population of Tanah Rata. When comparing the sizes of Tanah Rata and Singapore, 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.