Which place is cheaper, Porto 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Johor Bahru or Porto?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Porto? 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 Porto?
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.
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
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 Portugal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal.
-
Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesPorto Prices
Portugal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $64Porto $187
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $64, while the average daily cost in Porto is $187. 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 Porto in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $40Porto $84
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $80Porto $168
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Porto
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Porto? 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 Porto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Porto $24
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station: $12
- Porto Airport Transfer from/to Porto Center : $12
- Oporto Shared Departure Transfer: From Hotels to Airport: $14
- Oporto Airport Private Transfer to Gaia: $17
- Gaia Private Transfer to Oporto Airport: $17
- Oporto Airport: Private Arrival Transfer to Porto city hotels: $18
- Porto Private Transfer to/from Matosinhos: $20
- Gaia Private Transfer to Porto: $20
- Porto Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Oporto Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $20
- Matosinhos Private Transfer to Oporto Airport: $20
- Oporto Airport Private Transfer to Matosinhos: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Porto?
Prices for flights to both Porto 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
-
Food Meals for one dayJohor Bahru $16Porto $74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class Antero de Quental: $42
- Porto Walking Food Tour: $66
- Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour: $78
- Semi - Private Oporto Food Tour : $83
- Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto: $83
- Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class in Porto with Chef Maria: $89
- Semi Private Oporto Fado Show with Dinner: $90
- Porto Heritage Night Tour With Fado Show And Dinner Included: $94
- Porto Food & Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option: $94
- Porto Food Tour of 8 Tastings: Custard Tart, Bifana & Hidden Gems: $95
- Private Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $96
- Fado Show with Dinner in a Traditional Fado House: $102
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $7.81Porto $30
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
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto: $1.17
- Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.20
- Self Guided Tour in Porto with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.58
- Porto - Origin & Present - Guided Tour: $3.59
- Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia : $3.59
- Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira: $3.59
- Porto Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.59
- Porto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.49
- Porto Highlights the Original Walking Tour: $4.78
- Porto by the Ocean: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure: $7.16
- Amazing Secrets of Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure: $7.16
- Love in Romantic Exploration Game and Tour: $7.16
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.09Porto $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- Wine Experience Museum with 3 Wine Tastings: $24
- Private visit with wine tasting in Alijó Douro: $24
- Pub Crawl Porto: $26
- Flavours of Portugal – Wine Tastings at WOW Wine School: $30
- Taylor's Port Cellars Visit & Port Wine Tasting: $30
- Halloween Pub Crawl 4 bars, 1 club, Scary Games & 7 Drinks: $30
- Authentic Oporto Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $33
- Porto Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR: $36
- Porto City Tour with Wine Tasting: $41
- 5 Port Wine Tasting with pairings: $42
- Luxury Yacht Cruise with Wine Tasting & Snacks: $54
- Port and Douro Wine Walking Tour With 10 Wine Tastings: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Porto, we can see that Porto 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 Porto is in Europe, 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto 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 Porto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Porto?
Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Porto. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Porto, 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.