Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur or Mumbai?
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 Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mumbai 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: Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur?
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
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 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Mumbai Prices
India PricesKuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMumbai $83Kuala Lumpur $83
The average daily cost (per person) in Mumbai is $83, 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 Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMumbai $32Kuala Lumpur $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMumbai $64Kuala Lumpur $82
Compare Hotels in Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Mumbai 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: Mumbai Hotel Prices and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mumbai $7.37Kuala Lumpur $7.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to & fro Airports,Cruise Terminal,Hotels or any whichway, one way/time: $69
- Transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $55
- Private Transfer: Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer from Mumbai to your Accommodation in Pune: $24
- Private Transfer from Mumbai hotels to Mumbai Cruise Port: $167
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Cruise Port to Mumbai Hotels: $81
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Cruise Port to Mumbai Airport (BOM): $62
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) to Mumbai Downtown: $60
- Private Transfer Mumbai Airport by Innova Crysta: $25
- Private Departure Transfer from Mumbai Hotel to Airport Including VIP Assistance: $204
- Private Arrival Transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel Including VIP Assistance: $204
- One way Private transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $39
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:
- KUL Hotel to Singapore(One Way Transfer): $270
- Arrival Transfer from KLIA/KLIA2 to Singapore: $270
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Island Transfer [Car]: $265
- Cameron Highlands Transfer Private (Per Vehicle): $260
- Private Transfer from Shah Alam city to Malacca Cruise Port: $239
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Desaru Transfer [Car]: $239
- KUL Hotel to Johor Bharu(One Way Transfer): $237
- Chauffeur: Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Car]: $233
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Singapore Hotels 1-way Transfer: $230
- KL City Hotels to Singapore City Hotels One-way Transfer: $230
- Kuala Lumpur City Hotels to Singapore City Hotels 1-way Transfer: $230
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Singapore Hotels One-way Transfer: $230
Is it cheaper to fly into Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai 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 dayMumbai $42Kuala Lumpur $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Virtual Authentic Indian Tea and Paratha Cooking Class: $14
- Private Street Food Tour with Mumbai Sightseeing Tour including AC vehicles: $19
- Mumbai Food Tour: $20
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $31
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $31
- Bombay Express Mumbai Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $39
- Flavors of Mumbai Food Tour : $40
- Mumbai Street Food Tour: $42
- Secret Street Food Tour With Private Car inMumbai: $44
- Private Mumbai Market Tour and Cooking Class With an Expert: $52
- Private Vegetarian Indian Cooking Class in Mumbai: $53
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.Mumbai $2.52Kuala Lumpur $15
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- Kanheri Caves Heritage Tour: $45
- Mumbai by Night Guided Tour : $50
- Private Full-Day Mumbai Sightseeing Tour with Dharavi Slums: $41
- "Private Mumbai City Sightseeing Tour": $46
- "Private Mumbai Dharavi Slum Tour": $9.24
- "Private Mumbai Kanheri Caves Tour : A Buddhist Settlement": $46
- 3 Days Complete Mumbai Tour Inclusive of Bollywood Studio Experience: $277
- 3 Hours of Pottery Making Experience in a Studio in Mumbai: $66
- 7 Hour Mumbai City Sightseeing Tour By Navv Om Namaha Shivaya: $116
- All In One Combo Tour of Mumbai City, Dabbawalas, Dhobhi Ghat, Slums & Bollywood: $150
- All in one Combo of City ,Slum,Dhobighat & Dabbawala tour: $77
- All inclusive Elephanta Caves Guided Tour: $50
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:
- Cameron Highland Day Tour From Kuala Lumpur By Group: $155
- Full Day Melaka Tour with The Shore Sky Tower 43rd Floor - Unesco Heritage: $199
- Half Day Kuala Lumpur Culture And Communities Exploration Tour: $30
- KL Tour with Petronas Twin Towers Observation Deck & Batu Cave: $145
- KLCC Lake Symphony & The River of Life Tour from Kuala Lumpur: $33
- Kuala Lumpur (Genting Highlands 7.5 hours Private Tour): $61
- Kuala Lumpur Full Day City Tour Cruise Excursion from Port Klang: $65
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day Family Tour With Aquaria KLCC : $105
- Malacca Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $184
- Petronas Twin Tower Tickets with City Tour: $80
- Putrajaya Tour: $32
- Shah Alam Islamic Arts and Culture Tours : $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMumbai $3.50Kuala Lumpur $6.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $37
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 comparing the travel costs between Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Mumbai 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 Mumbai Expensive? and Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur?
Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Kuala Lumpur. When comparing the sizes of Mumbai 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.
When is the best time to visit Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mumbai year-round. Kuala Lumpur attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Kuala Lumpur receives a lot of rain in the summer. Mumbai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Mumbai usually receives more rain than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 640 mm (25.2 in) of rain, while Kuala Lumpur receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the summer.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kuala Lumpur this time of the year. Mumbai usually receives less sunshine than Kuala Lumpur during summer. Mumbai gets 73 hours of sunny skies, while Kuala Lumpur receives 200 hours of full sun in the summer.
Mumbai is around the same temperature as Kuala Lumpur in the summer. The daily temperature in Mumbai averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Kuala Lumpur fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyMumbai 28°C (82°F)Kuala Lumpur 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Mumbai as well as Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kuala Lumpur throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai usually gets less rain in October than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Kuala Lumpur receives 280 mm (11 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mumbai this time of the year. In the autumn, Mumbai often gets more sunshine than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 240 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kuala Lumpur receives 169 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, Mumbai is around the same temperature as Kuala Lumpur. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Mumbai in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Kuala Lumpur averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMumbai 29°C (84°F)Kuala Lumpur 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur in the Winter?
Both Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mumbai throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Kuala Lumpur because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kuala Lumpur. In January, Mumbai usually receives less rain than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Kuala Lumpur receives 239 mm (9.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mumbai. Mumbai usually receives more sunshine than Kuala Lumpur during winter. Mumbai gets 270 hours of sunny skies, while Kuala Lumpur receives 185 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Mumbai is generally cooler than Kuala Lumpur. Daily temperatures in Mumbai average around 24°C (75°F), and Kuala Lumpur fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMumbai 24°C (75°F)Kuala Lumpur 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur in the Spring?
Both Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mumbai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kuala Lumpur year-round.
Kuala Lumpur gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Mumbai usually gets less rain in April than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Kuala Lumpur receives 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Mumbai. In the spring, Mumbai often gets more sunshine than Kuala Lumpur. Mumbai gets 284 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kuala Lumpur receives 199 hours of full sun.
Mumbai is around the same temperature as Kuala Lumpur in the spring. The daily temperature in Mumbai averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Kuala Lumpur fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilMumbai 29°C (84°F)Kuala Lumpur 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai
| Mumbai | Kuala Lumpur | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 239 mm (9.4 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) |
| May | 30°C (86°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 560 mm (22 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 640 mm (25.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 520 mm (20.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 320 mm (12.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 280 mm (11 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 290 mm (11.4 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 250 mm (9.8 in) |
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.