ACCORDING to a recent report by Travel + Leisure, Kuala Lumpur has been ranked as the eighth most affordable city to visit in Asia, trailing just behind Tokyo and Manila.
Taipei City (Taiwan), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Jakarta (Indonesia) secured the first, second and third places respectively.
Kuala Lumpur was ranked eighth based on data obtained from travel metasearch engine KAYAK for travel services such as airline flights, hotels, rental cars and vacation packages.
ALSO READ: Penang ranks 2nd best solo travel destination in Southeast Asia: Lonely Planet
The rankings were derived from searches on KAYAK between January and June 2024, for travel plans to Asia from June to December 2024.
The rankings were determined by considering the average cost of a round-trip economy airfare combined with the average rate for a one-night stay in a standard double room.
Southeast Asian cities dominate the list, with six out of the ten cities located in the region.
For Kuala Lumpur, the average total cost for a visit is reported to be US$1,505 or approximately RM 6,776.
Travel + Leisure and KAYAK highlighted Kuala Lumpur as the “land of mamaks, tiny food stalls serving up handmade local dishes,” offering visitors the chance to experience local flavours on a budget.
ALSO READ: Penang island ranked 8th best island in the Asia Pacific region
“Favourite dishes include Hakka-style beef noodles and chilli pan mee, noodles topped with pork, egg, and chili. There are several one-stop flights to KL from the U.S., along with plenty of hotels that charge US$20 a night or less,” it wrote.
Here are the top 10 most affordable Asian cities to visit according to the study:
Taipei City, Taiwan
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Jakarta, Indonesia
New Delhi, India
Bangkok, Thailand
Manila, the Philippines
Tokyo, Japan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hanoi, Vietnam
Osaka, Japan
