Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Johor Bahru?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Johor Bahru, 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: Istanbul or Johor Bahru?
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital of the state of Johor in Southern Malaysia. Though it is largely industrial and does not typically cater to tourists, especially compared to the grandeur of neighboring Singapore, the city does have some opportunities for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesJohor Bahru Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $179Johor Bahru $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $179, while the average daily cost in Johor Bahru is $64. 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 Istanbul and Johor Bahru in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $83Johor Bahru $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $166Johor Bahru $80
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Johor Bahru
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Johor Bahru? 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $39Johor Bahru $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Princes Island Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $19
- Sapanca and Masukiye Day Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfer: $23
- Princes' Islands Cruise with Lunch and Transfer Full-Day Tour: $25
- Narita Airport to Tokyo one way Transfer : $28
- Transfer Istanbul City Center to Istanbul Ataturk Airport: $29
- Transfer Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to City Center: $29
- Bursa Uludağ Mountain Tour From Istanbul w/Lunch & Hotel Transfer: $29
- Private Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Transfer hotel-airport: $30
- Istanbul Airport (IST) Private Arrival and Departure Transfer: $30
- Galataport Private Transfer to Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia: $30
- Guided Byzantine & Bosphorus Tour with Transfer In Istanbul: $30
- Private Istanbul Airport Transfer to Blue Mosque Sultan Ahmet: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- ~Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore Van Transfer: $38
- Private Transfer from Johor Bahru City Center to Singapore Hotels: $99
- ~Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore MPV Transfer: $99
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $103
- Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $103
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $104
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
- Johor Bahru City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
- Universal Studios Singapore + Roundtrip Transfers: $119
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $125
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $131
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Johor Bahru?
Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $66Johor Bahru $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $24
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Show and Private Table: $30
- Bosphorus Night Cruise with Dinner, Shows and Party : $30
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $31
- Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise Dinner, Drinks & Show with Pickup: $32
- Dinner Cruise On The Bosphorus with Turkish night show: $34
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Entertaintment & Private Table & Wi-Fi: $36
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $36
- Luxury Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Shows Private Table & Free Wi-Fi: $36
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Drinks and Shows: $41
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folk Dance and Live Performances: $42
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $43Johor Bahru $7.81
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Istanbul Culture History and UNESCO Treasures Kickstart Tour: $3.59
- Highlights of Istanbul Walking Tour: $3.61
- Istanbul Self Guided Walking Tour : $5.00
- Alternative Tour; Daily Life, Customs, Stories - Tip Based Tour: $5.00
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Bosphorus Explorer: 3-Hour Cruise with Asian Side Visit: $7.21
- Bosphorus Boat Tour 3 Hour with Asian Side Stop in Istanbul: $7.21
- Istanbul Bosphorus Tour With Whirling Dervish Show: $7.55
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $8.99
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Istanbul Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Audio Guide: $9.02
- Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar Walk Tour: $9.61
Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.32
- Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $11
- Singapore: Wings of Time Show Entry Ticket: $17
- Malaysia: Johor Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Entry Ticket: $18
- Singapore Sentosa: Trick Eye 3D Museum Entrance Ticket: $21
- Johor: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Entry Ticket: $21
- Experience Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $21
- Singapore Sentosa Cable Car Sky Pass E-Tickets: $21
- Magical Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $22
- Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark Admission Ticket: $22
- Legoland Malaysia Ticket: $23
- Legoland Malaysia Theme Park E-Tickets: $23
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $12Johor Bahru $5.09
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Nightlife Pub Crawl Pub and İstanbul Club Adventure: $30
- Pub Crawl Istanbul / Rooftop Clubs & Party Bus: $30
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Adults-Only Nightlife Adventure: $31
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Johor Bahru, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Johor Bahru is in Asia, 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 Johor Bahru would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Johor Bahru 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 Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul than you might in Johor Bahru.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Johor Bahru Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Johor Bahru?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Johor Bahru, 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.
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.