Malaysia on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes — Malaysia is excellent on a budget, with cheap hawker food, low-cost buses and plenty of free temples, parks and street art. A realistic minimum is about RM 130 a day per person sharing a room: RM 50 for a bed, RM 40 for food, RM 25 for sights and RM 15 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | RM50 | RM140 | RM400 |
| Food & drink | RM40 | RM90 | RM200 |
| Sights & tickets | RM25 | RM70 | RM180 |
| Local transport | RM15 | RM40 | RM100 |
| Per person, per day | RM130 | RM340 | RM880 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Malaysia day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Batu Caves and the 272 rainbow steps
- KLCC Park below the Petronas Towers
- Merdeka Square and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building
- The street art and heritage lanes of George Town
- The BOH Sungei Palas tea plantation in the Cameron Highlands
- The Jonker Street night market in Melaka (Friday to Sunday)
Cheap eats
- Char kway teow, asam laksa or cendol at a Penang hawker stall — RM 6–12
- Nasi lemak — about RM 3–8
- Roti canai with dhal and teh tarik — about RM 4–7
- Chicken rice balls in Melaka — about RM 10–15
- Banana-leaf rice in Brickfields — about RM 10–18
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in KL's Chinatown and the heritage hostels of George Town, close to the street food, where dorm beds cost little and private rooms about RM 60–120. Melaka and the Cameron Highlands (Tanah Rata) also have plenty of guesthouses.
Getting around cheaply
Use KL's LRT, MRT and monorail (RM 1.50–4 a ride) and Grab for short gaps. Long-distance buses are cheap (KL–Melaka about RM 15). From KLIA, the airport buses to KL Sentral are much cheaper than the KLIA Ekspres (about RM 55). Fly to Borneo on low-cost airlines booked early.
A sample budget day
- Morning: roti canai and teh tarik (about RM 6), KTM train to Batu Caves (about RM 3)
- Lunch: nasi lemak or banana-leaf rice (about RM 12)
- Afternoon: Merdeka Square, Central Market and the Islamic Arts Museum (about RM 20)
- Evening: hawker dinner on Jalan Alor (about RM 25), train rides (about RM 8)
- Total: about RM 130 including a hostel bed or shared room (about RM 50)
More ways to save
- Skip alcohol or keep it occasional — it is the fastest way to blow a budget in Malaysia.
- Visit free temples, mosques and parks between paid attractions.
- Book buses online on CatchThatBus or Easybook for the best seats and prices.
- Carry a refillable bottle and use filtered water dispensers in hostels.
- Choose fan rooms or dorms in the highlands, where you do not need air-conditioning.
- Avoid travelling on the days around Chinese New Year and Hari Raya, when prices and crowds peak.
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Common questions
How much money do I need per day in Malaysia?
About RM 130 per person on a budget, RM 340 mid-range and RM 880 for comfort, sharing a room.
What is the cheapest way from KLIA to Kuala Lumpur?
The airport bus to KL Sentral is cheapest. The KLIA Ekspres train is faster, at about RM 55.
Is street food safe in Malaysia?
Yes, generally. Choose busy hawker stalls with high turnover.