Southeast Asia · 1 city covered
We track one city in Malaysia. Its mid-range shoulder-season day comes to $171, which is 39% below the median across all 68 cities in the index.
Kuala Lumpur is the anchor — hawker stalls under a glass-and-steel skyline. Accommodation is 51% of the mid-range day there, so where you sleep decides most of the budget.
Season coefficients are calibrated per city, not shared. Across Malaysia the peak-to-low swing runs 23%–23%, widest in Kuala Lumpur (23%, year-round business hub pattern: low Jan–Feb, Aug at ×0.92, peak May–Jun, Sep–Oct at ×1.13). Corporate and convention demand fills the calendar, so leisure seasonality is shallow. The cheapest weeks are mid-summer and January, when business travel drops.
Mid-range, shoulder season, same five line items. Difference is relative to Malaysia ($171/day).
| Country | Mid · shoulder | vs Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | $108/day | -37% |
| Vietnam | $114/day | -33% |
| Indonesia | $128/day | -25% |
| Thailand | $130/day | -24% |
| Philippines | $151/day | -12% |
| Singapore | $471/day | +175% |
On average, a mid-range traveller spends $171 per day in Malaysia during shoulder season. Budget travellers can get by on around $69/day, while a luxury trip averages $542/day.
The most affordable destination in Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, where a budget trip costs about $69 per day in low season.
At the top end, Kuala Lumpur reaches around $542 per day during peak season.
The best windows vary by city, but many destinations in Malaysia are ideal during Dec–Feb or shoulder season for a balance of weather and price.