Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Johor Bahru?
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 Johor Bahru or Brisbane?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Brisbane? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Johor Bahru or Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia.
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Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesBrisbane Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $64Brisbane $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $64, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $154. 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 Johor Bahru and Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $40Brisbane $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $80Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Brisbane? 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: Johor Bahru Hotel Prices and Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Brisbane $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Transfer [Car]: $249
- Johor Bharu to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $237
- Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $208
- LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $182
- Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Hotels (Door to Door) Private Transfer: $180
- Private Transfer from Legoland (Malaysia) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN): $164
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $131
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $125
- Universal Studios Singapore + Roundtrip Transfers: $119
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
- Johor Bahru City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
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Airtrain to the City$9.81
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Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Brisbane International Cruise Terminal Transfers: $19
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Brisbane: $22
- BNE Airport to City | Gold Coast Private Transfer: $40
- Private Arrival Transfer: Brisbane Airport to Hotel: $54
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $56
- Secrets St Lucia Airport Transfer: $58
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Sunshine Coast: $59
- Luxury Airport Transfer Gold Coast-Brisbane / Brisbane-Gold Coast: $60
- Brisbane to Brisbane Airport (BNE) - Departure Private Transfer: $84
- Brisbane hotels to Brisbane Airport (BNE) - Departure Private Transfer: $85
- Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $85
- NOOSA: Private Transfer to/fro Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): $96
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane and Johor Bahru 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 dayJohor Bahru $16Brisbane $54
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
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Hamburger Lunch$5.23
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Cup of Coffee$1.96
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Chinese Food Lunch$8.18
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Ice cream$3.60
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Japanese Meal$14
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Smoothie$4.25
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Japanese Soup$7.52
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Coffee & Muffin$4.58
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Morning Mint Tea$2.29
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Veggie Burger & Chips$9.16
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Bread$1.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $118
- Glow Worms, Sunset, Telescope Stargazing & Dinner: $133
- Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
- Local Icons Food Tour: $354
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $7.81Brisbane $24
Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:
- Adventure Cove Water Park Entry ticket sentosa Island singpore: $50
- Sentosa 4D Adventureland Admission Ticket in Singapore: $29
- #11Hrs Singapore Escorted Van Tour from Johor Bahru w' Tour Guide: $113
- *15Hrs Kuala Lumpur Van Tour from Johor Bahru w' Tour Guide: $132
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Johor Admission Ticket: $35
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Ticket: $40
- Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour, Johor Bahru (Direct Entry): $25
- Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark Admission Ticket: $22
- Experience Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $21
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.32
- HydroDash Singapore Ticket: $45
- Johor Bahru : Seadoo JetSki 30mins Self Ride Tour (Double): $86
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- Escape to Coochiemudlo Island: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Convict Colonial Brisbane GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $16
- Tour, Taste & Camel Encounter: $17
- True Crime Tour: $22
- Fortitude Valley Historical Crime Walking Tour: $22
- Winery Tour and Tasting: $23
- True Crime Walking Tour: $25
- Haunted CBD Ghost Tour: $25
- Haunted Brisbane CBD Ghost Tour: $26
- Moonlight State Fortitude Valley Crime Tour Crime Tours Australia: $26
- Adventure Theme Scavenger Hunt Experience in Brisbane: $27
- Boggo Road Gaol Ghost and Gallows Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.09Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
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Evening at the Bar$9.81
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Sixpack of Beer$9.16
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Guiness Beer$5.56
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Sixpack of Beer$8.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High Speed Boat Tour in Brisbane : $101
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $107
- Hop on Hop off Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $111
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $116
- Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour : $134
- Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $140
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
- One Hump Camel Farm and Wine Tour: $178
- Luxury Winery Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Johor Bahru is in Asia and Brisbane is in Pacific, 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 Johor Bahru Expensive? and Is Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Brisbane?
Brisbane has a larger population, and is about 19% larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Brisbane, 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.