Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur or Kolkata (Calcutta)?
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 Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur?
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal, India. Featuring colonial architecture, galleries, temples, and festivals, the city has flourished from its roots as an East India Company trading post in the 18th Century to a thriving metropolis. Today Kolkata is a diverse center of culture and bustling activity.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, often referred to as KL, is the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia. It is also the largest city in the country, having grown out of a small Chinese mining village. Today Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of the country of Malaysia. The population is split between the Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures which you can see reflected in the city's neighborhoods, cuisine, and entertainment. It's also an incredibly affordable city, even if you're looking for the comforts of a five star hotel or a luxury restaurant. Prices are almost always a fraction of what you would pay in Europe or the United States.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in India, The Best Bicycle Tours in India, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Prices
India PricesKuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKolkata (Calcutta) $45Kuala Lumpur $83
The average daily cost (per person) in Kolkata (Calcutta) is $45, while the average daily cost in Kuala Lumpur is $83. 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKolkata (Calcutta) $16Kuala Lumpur $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKolkata (Calcutta) $32Kuala Lumpur $82
Compare Hotels in Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur? 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: Kolkata (Calcutta) Hotel Prices and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kolkata (Calcutta) $4.85Kuala Lumpur $7.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kolkata (Calcutta):
- The Second City of Empire: A Kolkata Heritage Walking Tour with Private Transfer: $134
- Private Transfer from Kolkata to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (CCU) Airport: $65
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kolkata Airport: $23
- Path of Knowledge: A Heritage Walking Tour of Kolkata with Private Transfer: $153
- Kolkata Hotels to Kolkata Airport drop: Private Transfers: $35
- Kolkata Airport to Kolkata Hotels drop: Private Transfers: $35
- Departure transfer from Hotel to Airport in Kolkata: $23
- Build Your Own: custom private tour of Kolkata with transfers: $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.57
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Metro Ride (for Two)$0.76
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Short Taxi Ride$3.57
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Taxi From Airport$21
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Bus from Airport$1.90
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Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer KLIA1/KLIA2: $13
- Departure Transfer : Kuala Lumpur City to Kuala Lumpur International Airport: $13
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $17
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer: $17
- Private: Kuala Lumpur Departure Transfer: $17
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park to Kuala Lumpur Hotels Transfer: $17
- PVT Arrival Transfer<>KLIA 1/2 to Kuala Lumpur: $17
- PVT Departure Transfer <> Kuala Lumpur to KLIA 1/2: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer (1-way): $17
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park to Kuala Lumpur Hotels Transfer (1-way): $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 dayKolkata (Calcutta) $23Kuala Lumpur $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kolkata (Calcutta).
- Hooghly River Dinner Cruise: $26
- Bengali Nights Kolkata Food Tour with 13+ Tastings: $35
- Alleyway Food Tour: $46
- Food Tour Delights of Kolkata with Aditya: $118
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$9.51
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Roti Bread$0.24
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Food Court Lunch$3.42
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Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$5.11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Night Tour Batu Caves and South Indian Dinner: $20
- From Batu Caves Night Tour + Indian Set Dinner: $28
- Authentic Malaysian Street Food Tour in Kampung Baru: $39
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $41
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Laksa Lanes Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $52
- Glowing Firefly Private Tour With Dinner: $59
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $60
- Spiritual Healing and Authentic Cooking with Local Host: $61
- Kuala Selangor Fireflies and Blue Tears Tour with Dinner (SIC): $62
- Malaysian Hands-On Cooking Class : Masala Medley : $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kolkata (Calcutta) $14Kuala Lumpur $15
Tours and Activities in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kolkata (Calcutta) are as follows:
- 02 Days Private Kolkata Tour with Lunch : $179
- A Unique Experience of Kolkata Public Transport System: $98
- Capturing the City of Joy; Full Day Kolkata Street Photography Tour: $85
- Cultural Confluence of Kolkata - Culture Kaleidoscope Tour: $41
- Custom Private Kolkata Sightseeing with English speaking Guide: $75
- Durga Puja 2025 Tours -The Festival Enjoyed Close Up: $75
- Explore Kolkata- Private Full Day Tour: $99
- Full Day Pilgrimage Tour of Ganga Sagar from Kolkata: $100
- Gangasagar Pilgrimage Day Tour from Kolkata: $147
- Half Day Private Tour of Kolkata with a Local Companion: $69
- Hello Calcutta Walk Tour: $49
- Heritage Walking Tour of Kolkata: $70
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
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KL Tower Admission (for Two)$11
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Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.19
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Genting Highlands: Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park Entry Ticket: $6.37
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass: $7.41
- KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.65
- Malaysia: KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.75
- Malaysia Genting Highlands Hoverland Entry Ticket : $9.15
- REXPERIENCE: Immersive Art Gallery at REXKL: $9.75
- Museum Of Illusions Standard Admission Ticket: $9.88
- Malaysia Cruise Tasik Putrajaya: $9.99
- KL Tower Observatory & Sky Terrace tickets | Malaysia : $9.99
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day Guided City Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $10
- Selangor: Zoo Negara E-Ticket: $11
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKolkata (Calcutta) $7.85Kuala Lumpur $6.58
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Kuala Lumpur is more expensive. And not only is Kolkata (Calcutta) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kolkata (Calcutta) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kolkata (Calcutta) and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Kuala Lumpur would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kuala Lumpur than you might in Kolkata (Calcutta).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kolkata (Calcutta) Expensive? and Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kolkata (Calcutta) or Kuala Lumpur?
Kolkata (Calcutta) has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Kuala Lumpur. When comparing the sizes of Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kuala Lumpur, 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.