Prices in Malaysia for tourists

Kuala Lumpur market

By Asian Standards, Malaysia is quite an expensive country. Compared to one of the cheapness benchmarks of holidays in the region, Thailand, prices are slightly higher here. However, even despite this, as well as the official position of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and tourism of Malaysia about the focus on the development of tourism in the country for wealthy tourists, it is still a great place for budget travelers.

High prices for tours to Malaysia sold by Russian tour operators are not justified by the prices of hotels, transport and food in the country, and therefore this is one of those places that are much more profitable to visit on your own than on a tourist ticket. Our experience (the authors of the site) shows that with the minimum price we found for a trip to Malaysia from 110,000 rubles for two for 7 days in a 3-star hotel, an independent trip to the same hotel, taking into account the cost of air tickets, hotel accommodation and all necessary taxi transfers, will cost no more than 75,000 rubles. At the same time, the longer the stay and the more complicated the route, the greater the benefit from an independent trip. So, before buying a tour to Malaysia, we recommend that you work out the issue of organizing an independent trip. All the necessary information for this we have in the section about Malaysia.

Hotel prices in Malaysia

Hotel prices in Malaysia, of course, vary from resort to resort and seasonally, but, in general, it can be argued that these prices are about one and a half times higher than in Thailand, when comparing accommodation of the same quality.

The minimum price for a double room in a guesthouse with air conditioning and an individual bathroom in popular resorts in Malaysia starts from 70 ringgit (this is about 22 dollars or 800 rubles, see currency exchange rate of Malaysia). But in most cases it will be a tiny room and without windows. You can find a room with a fan and a shared bathroom on the floor from 40 ringgit.

Prices for a more or less spacious room with a window and maybe even a balcony in Malaysia's guest houses start from 100 ringgit. Prices for hotels with a swimming pool start from 120 ringgit. But Malaysia, along with Thailand, is considered the country with the cheapest five-star hotels. The "five" in popular resorts here can be found from 450 ringgit per day (about $ 140), and in the capital and in general for 200 ringgit (about $ 62). If you do not believe, look, for example, these hotels themselves: Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Sunway Putra Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Results:

• Double room in a guesthouse without air conditioning and with a shared bathroom-from 40 ringgit ($12)
• Double room in a guesthouse with air conditioning-from 70 ringgit ($22)
• Double room in a guesthouse with air conditioning, large area, windows-from 100 ringgit ($31)
• Double room at the hotel with air conditioning - from 120 ringgit ($37)
• Double room in a five-star hotel-from 200 ringgit ($62)

Transport prices in Malaysia

As for transport prices, it can be said unequivocally that Malaysia is not more expensive than Thailand, and in some cases even cheaper.

The main tourist transport flagship of Malaysia is the budget airline AirAsia. If you did not know, then the famous AirAsia is a Malaysian airline. Prices for flights to Malaysia and neighboring countries are prohibitively low. For example, having planned your route in advance and purchased AirAsia tickets ahead of time, you can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi Island for 90 ringgit (1000 rubles). A two-hour international flight from Kuala Lumpur in Bangkok you can "catch" for 150 ringgit (1600 rubles).

Also, the country has a well-developed system of intercity bus transport, and prices can not but rejoice. Again, for example, night travel from Penang Island to Malacca City, and this, no less than 500 kilometers and 8 hours on the road, costs 50 ringgit (about 540 rubles). And a three-hour drive from Malacca to Kuala Lumpur costs only 10 ringgit. Approximately the same situation with Rail Transport in Malaysia: comfortable and inexpensive.

As for public transport, it is also well developed here and is inexpensive. There are even special free tour bus systems (on Penang MPPP and in Kuala Lumpur GO KL). Taxis are somewhat more expensive than in Thailand, but not by much.

Renting transport is also very affordable, especially at Malaysian fuel prices. In Malaysia, in principle, at gas stations you will not find gasoline below 95, and it costs 1 liter of 2.1 ringgit (in rubles about 23 rubles) against the current 32 rubles in Russia! The price of renting a motorcycle for a day from 25 ringgit (if you try, you can find it for 20), a small car can be rented from 80 ringgit.

Results:

• Rent a motorcycle for 1 day - from 25 ringgit ($8)
• Rent a car for 1 day - from 80 ringgit ($25)
• 1 liter of gasoline – 2.1 ringgit (23 rubles)
• Air travel in the country - from 60 ringgit ($19)
• Transfer by intercity buses - from 10 ringgit (110 rubles)
• Public transport (buses, metro) - from 1.4 ringgit per trip (15 rubles, depending on the distance)

Gasoline prices

Refueling in Malaysia

Gasoline prices in Malaysia are lower than in Russia. 1 liter of gasoline costs 2 ringgit, which is about 25 rubles.

Food/beverage prices in Malaysia

If everything is in order with food in Malaysia and the prices here are not higher than in Thailand, then the situation with drinks is not so pleasant.

For some reason, all soft drinks here, from drinking water to juices, are one and a half to two times more expensive than in Thailand. For example, a 1.5 liter bottle of water most often costs 2-3 ringgit (21-32 rubles). And the cost of alcoholic beverages is generally a nightmare for an alcoholic or a beer – loving bekpecker. Malaysia is a Muslim country, and therefore all alcoholic beverages and cigarettes here are subject to a huge duty. As a result, it is almost impossible to find a small bottle of beer for less than 10 ringgit (about 110 rubles). The only exceptions are Langkawi Island and Labuan, which are a duty-free zone, and here, on the contrary, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes are cheaper than in Thailand.

Fruits in Malaysia are not cheap either. The difference compared to Thailand is again about one and a half times.

As for food itself, on the one hand, prices in supermarkets are higher than Thai ones (you can rather compare prices in supermarkets with Russian ones, and something costs more), but eating in local eateries, cafes and restaurants costs not much more than Thailand. On average, in an inexpensive institution for locals you need to count on 10 ringgit for dinner without drinks. We have already written about drinks above, moreover, in cafes and restaurants they also "wind up" prices quite strongly.

Results:

• Eat in an inexpensive local cafe - 10 ringgit per person (110 rubles)
• Eat in a cafe focused on tourists-20 ringgit per person (220 rubles)
• Eat in a cafe focused on tourists + a bottle of beer - 35 ringgit per person (380 rubles)
• Tom-yam soup in a cafe-from 5 ringgit (strange, but it is almost twice cheaper than in Thailand!!!)
• Nasi goreng (fried rice with chicken) or nasi lemak-from 4 ringgit (43 rubles)
• Murtabak dish-from 6 ringgit (65 rubles)
• Fruit shake or freshly squeezed juice – 3 ringgit (32 rubles)
• A bottle of beer in the store – at least 10 ringgit( 110 rubles), in Langkawi from 3.5 ringgit
• Cigarettes-from 12 ringgit (130 rubles)
• Power Engineers Red Bull, M-150 - 3 ringgit (32 rubles)
• A Bottle Of Coca-Cola. Sprite, etc. 0.5 L. - 2.4 ringgit (26 rubles)
• A Bottle Of Coca-Cola. Sprite, etc. 1.5 L. - 4.4 ringgit (48 rubles)
• A bottle of water 1.5 L. – 2 ringgit (22 rubles)
• Fresh coconut - 4 ringgit (44 rubles)
• Mango 1 kg - 10 ringgit (110 rubles)
• Mangosteen 1 kg - 10 ringgit (110 rubles)
• Lychee 1 kg-12 ringgit (122 rubles)
• Rambutan 1 kg - 10 ringgit (110 rubles)

The cost of souvenirs in Malaysia

It is unlikely that souvenirs will make up a significant part of your budget, however, it is impossible not to mention the prices. Souvenirs in Malaysia are as inexpensive as in Thailand. Well, maybe only a little more expensive. For 100 ringgit you can buy plenty of all kinds of magnets and figures for yourself and your loved ones. True, one thing should be remembered: in the markets, when buying souvenirs (as, indeed, everything else), you should bargain.

Results:

• Souvenir magnets - 1 piece-4 ringgit, 3 magnets for 10 ringgit
• Figures of Petronas Towers-from 6 ringgit for the smallest
• Key rings-from 1 ringgit
• Souvenir plates-from 10 ringgit

Shopping and other

Prices for everyday items, clothing in Malaysia are slightly higher than in Thailand. Roughly, we can say that they are higher by about 20 percent, no more.

• Malaysia visa - free of charge (more precisely, not required for up to 30 days for Russian citizens)
• Museum entrances-public 1-3 ringgit, private 20 ringgit
• Ascent to Petronas Towers - 80 ringgit
• Excursions-from 35 ringgit
• T-shirts, T – shirts-10-15 ringgit