Is Malaysia Really That Expensive? An Honest Cost Breakdown For Travellers

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The bright colourful staircase leading up to the Batu Caves, an important collection of Hindu Temples located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The impressive, colourful stairs leading up to the Hindu temples inside the Batu Caves

There seems to be a narrative that Malaysia is much more expensive than it’s neighbouring Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam. However, after exploring the region for 7 months and tracking my every spend, my figures would suggest otherwise. In fact, the only country I had a lower daily spend than Malaysia was Laos.

Let’s explore further and discuss if Malaysia is really that expensive and breakdown costs for exploring this absolutely wonderful country. 

Contents

1 – Overview of My Spends

2 – Accommodation Breakdown

3 – Food and Drinks Breakdown

4 – Transport Breakdown

5 – Activities and Sightseeing Breakdown

6 – Others Breakdown (Laundry, Gym, Shopping, ETC.)

7 – Reasons for the Misconception 

8 – Is Malaysia Really That Expensive

Overview of My Spends

As part of my Southeast Asia trip, I spent 26 days exploring the diverse, wonderful Peninsular Malaysia with my partner. With every penny I spent included, here are my exact figures:

CategoryTotal Per CategoryAverage Per Day
Accommodation RM 1061.50 (£193.70 / $242.12) RM 40.80 (£7.45 / $9.31)
Transport RM 712.70 (£130.05 / $162.56) RM 27.40 (£5.00 / $6.25)
Food & Drinks RM 1370.80 (£250.15 / $312.69) RM 52.70 (£9.62 / $12.03)
Activities & Sightseeing RM 682.80 (£124.60 / $155.75) RM 26.30 (£4.79 / $5.99)
Laundry RM 19.70 (£3.60 / $4.50) -
Shopping RM 86.60 (£15.80 / $19.75) -
Gym RM 48.20 (£8.80 / $11.00) -
Other (Fees, SIM, etc.) RM 124.90 (£22.80 / $28.50) -
TOTAL RM 4107.30 (£749.50 / $936.87) RM 158.00 (£28.83 / $36.03)

Accommodation Breakdown

My Total Spend: RM1061.50 (£193.70 / $242.12)

My Daily Average: RM40.80 (£7.45 / $9.31)

Accommodation is usually a budget-killer on a backpacking trip but in Malaysia your money goes further than you’d expect when it comes to somewhere to stay. Over the 26 days I spent in Malaysia, I stayed in a range of accommodations including hostels, hotels, guesthouses, home stays and an apartment. 

For a little insight into the contrasting costs, the most expensive of my accommodations was a wonderful apartment in central Kuala Lumpur which cost RM118 (£21.55 / $28.50) per night for two people. On the flip side, the cheapest was a double bed capsule in Malacca for RM43 (£7.80 / $10.35), again for two people per night. 

A bunk bed hostel, in a dark and gloomy setting
The cheapest accommodation we had, a double bed capsule style in Malacca
A woman in a swimming pool looking out over the night sky of Kuala Lumpur with the Petronas Twin Towers glowing in the distance
The stunning view of the KL skyline with the Petronas Towers glowing from our rooftop pool in the apartment

As you can see, there is such a vast range of accommodation options and the prices that accompany them. If you’re solo travelling on a budget then you’ll likely opt for hostels. Lots of Malaysian hostel are more pod-style with privacy curtains, individual lights and lockers and typically range from RM30 to RM50 (£5.50 – £9.10 / $6.80 – $11.35) depending on location and amenities. The other main option is a private room, and for budget-travellers in Malaysia that’s typically in a guesthouse or homestay with prices ranging from RM60 to RM120 (£10.95 – £21.90 / $14.50 – $28.95).

I used booking.com for all of my Malaysia accommodation as it seemed to give the best prices and offers genius discount – a great reward programme. 

An orange sky over the colonial, rustic style buildings in Georgetown, Penang
The gorgeous skies over beautiful buildings in Georgetown, Penang

Hidden Accommodation Costs:

The Malaysia Tourism Tax: By national law, foreign travellers are required to pay RM10 per room per night. For private rooms that’s RM10 for the room and for dorms it’s RM10 per bed. 

State Heritage & Local Fees: A few regions of Malaysia charge local preservation tax as well as the tourism tax including Penang and Pahang but they’re no more than RM3 (£0.55 / $0.72).

Food and Drinks Breakdown

My Total Spend: RM1370.80 (£250.15 / $312.69)

My Daily Average: RM52.70 (£9.62 / $12.03)

Malaysia’s food scene is one of the world’s best, it blends Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisine into the ultimate foodie’s dream. For budget travellers who love are also foodies, like myself, it’s incredible. 

With a daily average of RM52.70 (£9.62 / $12.03) that includes everything from all meals, drinks and snacks in a day, the food and drinks in Malaysia are definitely budget-friendly if you do it right. 

A plate of rice and meat at a local establishment in Malaysia
This meal at a local restaurant on our first day cost RM8 (£1.47 / $1.96) - we were pleasantly surprised
Local roti canai special in Kuala Lumpur, made up of eggs, sauce and roti
The "Roti Special" at a great local spot for breakfast and it cost only RM4 (£0.74 / $0.98) - insane value
A plate of noodles and a plate of rice at a local spot in Malaysia
Simple dishes at a local spot for as little as RM6 (£1.10 / $1.47) - great value for these huge portions

Hawker centres and food courts will become your best friend. They’re essentially huge halls packed with independent stalls offering a range of dishes and snacks. Here you’ll find whole dishes like Nasi Goreng from RM8 to RM15 (£1.50-£2.75 / $1.90-$3.40). 

If you’re looking to stay on budget then avoiding western and aesthetic cafes is the way to go. The food and drinks in these places are wonderful but will likely cost around 5x the amount of the hawker centres with a meal and drink averaging from RM35 to RM50 (£6.40-£9.10 / $8.00-$11.35). 

The bustling street of Petaling Market selling clothes, food and so much more as the sun comes down and the night lights come on
The bustling Petaling Market with food stalls and so much more

Transport Breakdown

My Total Spend: RM712.70 (£130.05 / $162.56)

My Daily Average: RM27.40 (£5.00 / $6.25)

Getting around Peninsular Malaysia is not only pretty easy but it’s also well-priced. Averaging at just RM27.40 (£5.00 / $6.25) per day including all buses, taxis, boats, water taxis and metros, shows that you can travel decent distances and through wild terrain for a great price.

Like other Southeast Asian countries, the wonderful Grab app completely eliminates the hassle of haggling and is perfect for short, direct city travel in places like Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Ipoh. A standard 10-15 minute ride is likely to cost around RM7-RM15 (£1.30–£2.75 / $1.60–$3.40) and if you’re travelling with others you can of course spit the cost. 

Local buses are the best budget option for shorter distances with a one hour bus from Georgetown to Penang National Park costing only RM4 (£0.73 / $0.97) and a thirty minute journey within Kuala Lumpur costing as little as RM1.20 (£0.22 / $0.29). Within Kuala Lumpur there’s also the metro system which runs super regularly and connects the city well with tickets costing from RM1.20 to RM6.40 (£0.22-£1.17 / $0.29-$1.54). 

An old historic building with small tourist buses outside, small white and green vans.
These are common tourist minibuses - we got these from Kuala Lumpur to Taman Negara

The intercity travel in Malaysia is also great, with options for both buses and trains. I personally didn’t take any long trains anywhere but they’re a speedy, smooth and well-priced option. As for the buses, typically they’re standard AC coaches with reclining seats. For an idea of price, a six hour bus journey from Kuala Terengganu to Malacca cost only RM52 (£9.46 / $12.53). 

Tip: Downloading apps such as Grab, redBus and 12GOAsia will make transport super easy and allows you to pick the most suitable and relevant budget option for you. 

A Malaysian train pulling up at the station with an empty platform
The trains that are part of Malaysia's wonderful, clean KL Rapid train system

Activities and Sightseeing

My Total Spend: RM682.80 (£124.60 / $155.75)

My Daily Average: RM26.30 (£4.79 / $5.99)

At just RM26.30 (£4.79 / $5.99) per day on average, Malaysia is proof that having a experiencing wonderful things doesn’t have to come with a high price tag. Many sights across Malaysia are free like exploring Batu Caves or the street art of Georgetown, Penang. Or they’re very affordable like a sunset boat cruise in Kuala Terengganu for MR30 (£5.50 / $6.80). 

For those things you do need to pay a more for, they are absolutely worth it. To give you an idea of a few things we splashed out on: a day trek with fees, lunch, village stop and river rapid shooting included in Taman Negara cost RM140 (£25.60 / $33.80) and a private day tour in the Cameron Highlands cost RM125 (£22.80 / $30.20). 

People with backpacks walking near a jungle river, during a hot day
Heading down to the river during our day hike in Taman Negara to go river rapid shooting
Looking out over lush green tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands in the morning sun
An impressive view over the tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands during our day tour

When it comes to sightseeing and activities in Malaysia, it’s easy to keep the costs low and it’s completely up to you what and how you chose to do things. A little budget tip is to consider alternatives like switching out views on the Petronas Twin Towers skybridge for a rooftop bar. This reduces the cost from RM130 (£23.70 / $31.40) to as little as RM35 (£6.40 / $8.00) for view of Kuala Lumpur’s gorgeous skyline and you get to sit and enjoy a drink!

The Kuala Lumpur skyline at night with the Petronas Towers lit bright and misty clouds floating through the skyscrapers
The impressive views you can get of the Kuala Lumpur skyline at night from rooftops

Others Breakdown (Laundry, Gym, Shopping, ETC.)

My Total Spend: RM279.50 (£51.00 / $63.75)

My Daily Average: RM10.80 (£1.96 / $2.45)

This is everything small we, as travellers, don’t ever really consider when we think about budget and costs. Luckily for me, it doesn’t amount to much at all and that’s down to the fact that day-to-day extras like laundry and the gym are affordable in Malaysia. 

Laundry: My total cost for laundry over almost 4 weeks came to RM19.70 (£3.60 / $4.50) which is great value. Self-service laundromats (Dobi) are easily accessed and typically cost as little as RM5 (£0.90 / $1.20) per load. Drop-off laundry washing is available in Malaysia but typically costs a fair bit more. 

Gym: Heading to the gym whilst on holiday or travelling isn’t for everyone but it is for me and when it costs as little as RM10 (£1.80 / $2.40) per session it’s a steal. The gyms are typically well kept and equipped too which is great. 

A dobi, local washing machine set up in Malaysia
The typical set up for public laundry (dobi) - widely available all over Malaysia for a great price
A gym typical of Southeast Asia with machines and free weights
A standard gym in Malaysia which typically has a few machines, cables and free weights

Shopping: For a total of RM86.60 (£15.80 / $19.75) which includes mostly toiletries and souvenirs, the smaller things are really affordable. If you’re after clothes in Malaysia then street stalls are a great way to pick up affordable pieces.

SIM Cards: Getting an eSIM is really convenient but if you’re looking for the budget option then physical local sims are the way to go. For a 30-day package of around 50GB of data, it’ll set you back no more than RM50 (£9.10 / $12.05) which makes it super affordable.

ATM Fees: Of course when travelling you need to withdraw cash and luckily for you, Malaysia’s fees aren’t quite like Thailand’s crazy 350THB (£8.00 / $10.55) fees. Local banks typically don’t charge a fee but if they do it’ll cost, at most, RM15 (£2.70 / $3.60).

The busy streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the Pavillon Mall behind, a popular spot for luxury shopping
The popular high-end shopping mall in Bukit Bintang, Pavilion Mall

Reasons for the Misconception

Now that we’ve gone through the costs and how to keep things affordable, you’re probably wondering why Malaysia has this “expensive” label like Singapore. The most common reason for this is because of a category I don’t have… alcohol.

Lots of backpackers enjoy drinking socially as part of the typical backpacker lifestyle and if you’re coming from neighbouring countries like Thailand, you’ll be expecting it to be just as affordable. However, Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country so alcohol is often imported with heavy taxes involved.

For perspective, a beer in Thailand from a shop will cost as little as 30THB (£0.68 / $0.90) or from a restaurant or bar around 80THB (£1.80 / $2.40). Whereas in a shop in Malaysia, it’ll cost at least RM9 (£1.65 / $2.20) and from a restaurant or bar around RM18 (£3.30 / $4.40). 

Malaysia’s alcohol isn’t expensive on a world scale – you would literally never find a beer in the UK as cheap as that. However, it’s around double of other countries on the backpacking route so for those who enjoy drinking, it’ll add up fast without even realising. 

If drinking alcohol and staying on budget is important to you then consider saving it for the duty-free islands like Langkawi or Tioman Island where these taxes disappear and you’ll find beer for as little as RM3 (£0.55 / $0.70).

A night scene in busy Kuala Lumpur with lots of food stalls and Chinese lanterns
Busy night scenes in Kuala Lumpur with lots of food and drinks stalls

Is Malaysia Really That Expensive?

So, to answer the big question: Is Malaysia really that expensive? In my opinion, with statistics to back me up, no. It’s affordable for everything that it offers as long as you do it the right way. If you’re considering visiting Malaysia and would like to stick to a low budget then use the advice and tips I’ve shared. 

Despite this, there’s a few things to note here. Firstly, I am a budget traveller through and through and the purpose of this guide is to show you that Malaysia can be just as affordable as other countries in the region. That said, if you have more or a budget and are happy to spend more then you absolutely can – not all of us need to travel as cheap as possible and that’s perfectly fine. 

Secondly, as I travelled with my partner it did mean there was quite a few costs we could share. The big one of course is accommodation when booking a private room, but also laundry and taxi costs could be split. 

Lastly, my trip to Malaysia was last year so the prices are likely to have increased but so will the prices in Thailand or Vietnam for example so it’s still relative. 

If you’re planning a trip to Malaysia or are interested to know more about everything Malaysia travel-related then be sure to check out some of my other posts:

Hi, I'm Kelly!

Welcome to The Untold Journeys, a travel blog with a focus on raw, authentic travels and finding those exciting hidden gems. 

I’m here to share my experiences and stories to give you everything you need to explore the world and head on your own adventures.

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