A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Melaka vs. Te Anau for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Melaka or Te Anau?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka or Te Anau, 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: Melaka or Te Anau?

Melaka

Melaka (or Malacca) is a large city on the western coast of Malaysia about half way between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. This historical city grew up as a result of trading in the region due to its position on the namesake Straights of Malacca, a natural waterway formed from the peninsula of Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Te Anau

Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Melaka?

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 Melaka is $33, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $118. 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 Melaka and Te Anau in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Melaka $9.51
    Te Anau $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Melaka $19
    Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Te Anau

Looking for a hotel in Melaka or Te Anau? 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 Melaka


Hotels in Te Anau


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: Melaka Hotel Prices and Te Anau Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Melaka $2.09
    Te Anau $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:


  • Taxi
    $4.75
  • Bus Ride
    $0.36

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka

Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $81
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $239
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Kuala Lumpur city : $120
  • Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $251
  • Private Transfer from Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) to Malacca Port: $66
  • Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
  • Private Transfer : National Park Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $165
  • Malacca Hotels to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer: $52
  • Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $99
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $212
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $80
  • Chauffeur: Malacca to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau

Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184
  • Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
  • Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $17

Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Te Anau?

Prices for flights to both Te Anau and Melaka 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
    Melaka $20
    Te Anau $46
Typical Food Prices in Melaka

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:


  • Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
    $7.13
  • Dinner at the Market (for Two)
    $3.09
  • Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)
    $1.43
  • Taiwanese Noodle Soup
    $1.19
  • Sitdown Dinner (for Two)
    $7.61

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka

For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Peranakan and Malay Cooking Class in Malacca: $90

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Melaka $4.03
    Te Anau $47
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka

For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Maritime Museum Entrance
    $0.71
  • Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance
    $4.75
  • Trishaw Tour (One Hour)
    $11
  • Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance
    $2.38
  • Melaka Zoo Entrance
    $1.66
  • Low Cost Kite
    $0.71
  • Malacca Duck Tour
    $9.51
  • Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)
    $2.38

Tours and Activities in Melaka

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.

  • *13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide: $84
  • A'Famosa Safari and Water Park in Melaka Ticket (Only Malaysian): $28
  • Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
  • From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience: $40
  • Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $48
  • Malacca City Hotels To Kuala Lumpur City Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
  • Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
  • Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $328
  • Malacca Shore Excursion with Professional Tour Guide & Lunch: $228
  • Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $228

Tours and Activities in Te Anau

For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
  • Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
  • Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau: $214
  • Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri: $201
  • Epic Milford Guided Tour from Te Anau: $142
  • Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $84
  • Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $119
  • From Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise: $216
  • From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $119
  • From Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks: $173
  • From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $126
  • From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $133

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Melaka $8.25
    Te Anau $14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melaka is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Melaka would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melaka 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau than you might in Melaka.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melaka Expensive? and Is Te Anau Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Melaka or Te Anau?

Melaka has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Melaka and Te Anau, 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.