Which place is cheaper, Penang or Ubud?
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 Ubud or Penang?
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 Ubud and Penang. 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: Ubud or Penang?
Ubud
Made popular by the film Eat Pray Love, Ubud is located in the uplands of Bali, Indonesia. Beautiful Hindu temples and iconic rice fields are the sight to see in this popular cultural, artistic and religious hub on the island.
Though Ubud is hot and humid during the day, it is still cooler than coastal areas. Still, temperatures linger between mid-70's and low 90's year-round, so it is likely you'll experience warm weather, regardless of when you visit.
Ubud's wet season is from November to June, which makes it an unpopular time for travelers. January and February are when Ubud experiences the heaviest rainfall, so it may be wise to avoid visiting at this time, especially since weather will limit activities, bring out insects, and cause landslides and possible flooding.
Dry season runs from July through October, which is high season for travel. Even during dry season, Ubud is extremely humid, so pack lightweight clothing that breathes and lots of sunblock.
Penang
Just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia is the charming and diverse island state of Penang. As the link between the ancient kingdoms of Asia and Europe's colonial empire, this area is enriched with Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences. This exciting culture is centered in George Town, the main city of the state.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Indonesia, The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia.
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Ubud Prices
Indonesia PricesPenang Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUbud $153Penang $144
The average daily cost (per person) in Ubud is $153, while the average daily cost in Penang is $144. 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 Ubud and Penang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUbud $128Penang $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUbud $256Penang $110
Compare Hotels in Ubud and Penang
Looking for a hotel in Ubud or Penang? 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: Ubud Hotel Prices and Penang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ubud $1.75Penang $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ubud
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ubud:
- Bali Airport Private Hotel Transfer : $15
- Eco Friendly Premium Electric Vehicle Airport Transfers : $6.76
- 240 Minutes Romantic Healing Spa Treatment - Free Transfer: $115
- A1 Airport Transfer Service - Ubud/Tanah Lot/Uluwatu/Ungasan Area: $24
- A1 Airport Transfer Service Nusadua/Sanur/Canggu Area: $19
- ATV Quad Bike Track Tunnel & Waterfall Includes Private Transfer: $79
- ATV Quad Bike and Rafting with Private Transfer, Lunch: $76
- Actively enjoy marine sports / Seawalker + Selectable marine sports (parasailing, etc.) / Round trip hotel transfer included: $171
- Airport Transfer to Nusa Dua: $40
- Airport Transfer to Seminyak: $40
- Airport Transfer to Ubud: $25
- Airport transfer to seminyak/ kuta: $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Penang
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Penang:
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Local Bus$1.43
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Island Ferry$0.57
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Bus From Airport to George Town$0.64
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Taxi From Airport to George Town$11
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Motorbike Rental (One Day)$7.13
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)$2.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Penang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Penang:
- Chauffeur: Penang Island to Singapore Van Transfer: $147
- Full-Day Private Transfer in Penang City : $277
- Penang Airport (PEN) to Swettenham Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Penang Airport Transfer ( 24/7): $59
- Penang Airport Transfer - Arrival or Departure: $36
- Penang Balik Pulau Countryside Morning Cycling with Transfers: $33
- Penang City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $140
- Penang City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $140
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $107
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $140
- Penang Island hotels to Swettenham Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $58
- Penang Island to Penang Airport(PEN) - Departure Private transfer: $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Ubud or Penang?
Prices for flights to both Penang and Ubud 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 dayUbud $20Penang $64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ubud
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ubud.
- Ubud Mystic Dinner at Oracle of Spice Lemuria The Lost City: $17
- Uluwatu Sunset & Romantic Dinner: $20
- Cooking Class and Dinner in Traditional House by Food Lover Tour: $25
- Ubud Cooking Class by Lemon Grass Cooking Class: $26
- Afternoon Cooking Class & Making Bali Offering with Dinner: $29
- Uluwatu Sunset Trip with Kecak Dance Show and Jimbaran Dinner: $30
- Amazing Half-Day Uluwatu Sunset Tour with Jimbaran Seafood Dinner: $30
- Be a real Balinese with Traditional Balinese Cooking Class: $30
- Private Traditional Bali Cooking Class in Sidemen: $31
- Cultural Evening Dinner: $31
- Uluwatu Sunset Experience: Kecak Dance and Dinner at Jimbaran: $34
- Ubud Cooking : All Inclusive Cooking Class: $35
Typical Food Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Penang:
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Snack$1.90
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Dinner at The Suffolk House (for 2)$81
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Lunch at Sakae Sushi (for 2)$69
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Lassy Juice$1.66
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Dinner for 2$3.57
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Street Stall Food$0.67
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.52
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Italian Lunch (for Two)$11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Penang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Penang.
- Penang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
- Good Morning Penang Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
- Penang Food Tour - Georgetown: $62
- Local Street Food Tour in Georgetown Penang : $62
- Eat Like A Local: Penang Street Food Tour: $62
- 3-Hour Heritage on a Plate Dinner Hop in George Town Penang: $65
- 4-Hour Georgetown Food Tour: $88
- Authentic Local Food Tour with Scenic Walk: $89
- Malay Culinary Journey Cooking Class for the Adventurous Foodie: $92
- Authentic Indian Penang Cooking Class: $92
- Penang Cooking Class:Dive into Malaysian Cuisine with PenangChiak: $94
- Private Half Day Penang Tasty Local Street Food Tour: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ubud $9.84Penang $55
Tours and Activities in Ubud
Here are a few actual costs in Ubud for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Mangrove Tour at Nusa Lembongan : Kayak, Paddle and Boat: $8.00
- Batur Natural Hot Springs Entrance Ticket - Swim: $8.81
- One Way Ticket Fast Boat from Sanur Bali and Nusa Penida : $8.92
- Bali Tour Customized with Private Tour Driver: $9.00
- ATV Adventure with Private Tracks and Guide in Ubud: $9.18
- Hike and Heal Mount Batur Sunrise Tour with Hot Springs Add On: $9.18
- Full-Day Private North Bali Tour with Free WiFi: $9.32
- Self-Guided Tour in Bali's Pura Ulun Danu Beratan Temple Complex: $9.99
- Sea to Summit Trekking Adventure on Mount Agung: $10
- 1 Hour Mangrove Tour From Lembongan with Kayak, Paddle, or Boat: $11
- Bali Blue Lagoon Snorkeling with optional Tours and Activity: $12
- Trans Studio Bali Admission Ticket: $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Penang
Here are a few typical costs in Penang for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Butterfly Gardens$7.37
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$7.13
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Fort Cornwallis Entrance$0.48
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Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Entrance$2.38
Tours and Activities in Penang
Here are a few actual costs in Penang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Asia Camera Museum Admission Ticket: $6.10
- Guided Tour of Cheong Fatt Tze's Blue Mansion in George Town: $6.35
- Tech Dome Entrance Ticket: $6.92
- Straits and Oriental Museum Ticket: $7.32
- Tropical Spice Garden Entrance Ticket & Guided Tours: $8.16
- Penang Hill Funicular Ticket: $8.35
- The Vanilla Village Farm Tour by Kairos: $9.39
- Malaysia: Penang Habitat Entry Ticket: $15
- Explore Remarkable Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Malaysia: Discover Nature's Wonders with Entopia Entry Ticket: $17
- Penang Rainbow Skywalk at The Top Komtar Observation Deck Tickets: $22
- Entopia Butterfly and Nature Discovery Park Entry Ticket Penang : $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUbud $6.62Penang $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Penang:
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Beer$1.90
When comparing the travel costs between Ubud and Penang, we can see that Ubud 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 Ubud Expensive? and Is Penang Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ubud or Penang?
Penang has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Ubud. When comparing the sizes of Ubud and Penang, 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.