Which place is cheaper, Newcastle 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 Newcastle?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Newcastle? 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 Newcastle?
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.
Newcastle
Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesNewcastle Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $64Newcastle $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $64, while the average daily cost in Newcastle is $117. 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 Newcastle in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $40Newcastle $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $80Newcastle $90
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Newcastle
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Newcastle? 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 Newcastle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Newcastle $8.41
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:
- Newcastle to Newcastle Airport (NTL) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
- Private Transfer from Newcastle City Hotels to Newcastle Port: $80
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $82
- Newcastle Airport to Newcastle - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $148
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Newcastle?
Prices for flights to both Newcastle 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 $16Newcastle $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Newcastle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Newcastle.
- Harbour Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $69
- Earp Distilling Co: Date Night with Blending Class & Dinner: $73
- Cooking Classes at the Yellow Door Kitchen: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $7.81Newcastle $15
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
Tours and Activities in Newcastle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Newcastle are as follows:
- Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience in Hunter Valley: $14
- Mead and Honey Tasting Experience: $19
- True Crime Guided Walking Tour: $22
- Newcastle Dark Stories True Crime Tour: $23
- Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tasting Experience in Hunter Valley: $23
- Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise: $28
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $40
- Shared Newcastle Harbor Cruise: $43
- Tree Ropes Course Adventure: $46
- Lake Macquarie Cruise with Lunch: $46
- Newcastle Harbour Luncheon Cruise: $47
- Port Stephens: Whale Watching Cruise: $53
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.09Newcastle $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Newcastle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle:
- Cael’s Gate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley: $6.66
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting : $10
- Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $11
- Newcastle Bar Crawl Experience: $15
- Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $23
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
- Wonnarua Sparkling Wine Tasting: $30
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Premium Wine Tasting: $30
- Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $33
- Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $35
- Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $35
- Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Newcastle, we can see that Newcastle 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 Newcastle 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 Newcastle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Newcastle 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 Newcastle Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Newcastle?
Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 61% larger than the population of Newcastle. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Newcastle, 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.