A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Paphos vs. Johor Bahru for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Paphos or Johor Bahru?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Paphos 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: Paphos or Johor Bahru?

Paphos

Located on the southwestern tip of Cyprus, Paphos has many different archaeological sights and it is renowned as the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The town is situated between the coast and the Troodos Mountains and it has grown in recent years as a tourist destination. As such, the local government has made efforts to improve the quality of the tourism infrastructure including investing in hotels, restaurants and transportation. There is also a commercial center to the city as well as a newly built "promenade" that travels from the marina along a long coastal path. This route offers excellent views, especially during the morning or evening hours when the sun is low.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Cyprus, The Best Tours for Seniors to Cyprus, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia.


Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru or Paphos?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Paphos is €125, while the average daily cost in Johor Bahru is €54. 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 Paphos and Johor Bahru in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Paphos 48
    Johor Bahru 34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Paphos 96
    Johor Bahru 68
Compare Hotels in Paphos and Johor Bahru

Looking for a hotel in Paphos 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.

Hotels in Paphos


Hotels in Johor Bahru


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: Paphos Hotel Prices and Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Paphos 12
    Johor Bahru 11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paphos

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paphos:

  • Shared shuttle transfer from Hotels to Paphos Airport: $17
  • Blue Lagoon Boat Cruise with Bus Transfer: $30
  • Blue Lagoon Sunset Cruise from Paphos with Transfers: $30
  • Paphos Blue Lagoon Cruise: Slide, Music & Hotel Transfer: $34
  • Blue Lagoon cruise: giant slide, music & Paphos hotel transfers: $35
  • Blue Lagoon Boat Cruise with Bus Transfer from Paphos: $42
  • Blue Lagoon Pafos to Latchi, bus transfer+ Boat trip H/D: $42
  • Paphos to Paphos Int Airport (PFO) - Departure Private Transfer: $43
  • Blue Lagoon trip with Transfer from Paphos including 1 hour swim : $45
  • Blue Lagoon: 3 Hours Afternoon Cruise with transfer from Paphos: $46
  • Private Airport Transfer from Hotel to Paphos Airport in a 4-seater taxi: $46
  • Private Transfer from Paphos Airport to Paphos City: $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:

  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $104
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Transfer [Car]: $249
  • Johor Bahru City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
  • Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Hotels (Door to Door) Private Transfer: $180
  • Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $103
  • Johor Bharu to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $237
  • LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $182
  • LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
  • LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
  • Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $103
  • 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 Paphos or Johor Bahru?

Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru and Paphos 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 day
    Paphos 65
    Johor Bahru 13

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paphos

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paphos.

  • From Sunset Drink at Aphrodite's Rock & Folk Dinner: $62
  • Wave Dancer Fireworks, Buffet Dinner & Show Cruise: $73
  • Cyprus: Cooking Class-Mousaka, Tzatziki & Greek Salad: $88
  • Moussaka Cooking Class at a Wine Village Villa in Paphos: $226

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Paphos 12
    Johor Bahru 6.63

Tours and Activities in Paphos

Here are a few actual costs in Paphos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Blue Lagoon Mediterranean One Boat Cruise from Latchi: $21
  • Pafos Zoo Ticket: $22
  • The Yellow Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise Swim & Snorkel: $23
  • Paphos Sunset Cruise Swim Snorkel & Jump into the Golden Hour : $24
  • From Limassol Experience: $29
  • Latchi to Blue Lagoon Glass Bottom+slide Boat Tour: $30
  • Blue Lagoon Cruise with Sightseeing from Latchi Harbour : $30
  • Nafsika II Half Day Cruise Swimming to blue lagoon water slide : $30
  • Latchi Blue Lagoon Cruise: $36
  • Akamas, Baths of Aphrodite and Blue Lagoon Day Tour: $41
  • Turtle Watching Cruise,Snorkelling Adventure &Sunset: $41
  • Yellow Submarine Swim Cruise with Unlimited Drinks: $41

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Paphos 9.98
    Johor Bahru 4.32

Sample the Local Flavors in Paphos

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paphos:

  • Afternoon Tour to Agios Neophytos Monastery with Wine Tasting: $44
  • Paphos - Troodos Mountains 4x4 Tour with Free Wine Tasting: $70
  • Troodos Mountains Jeep Tour with Wine Tasting: $73
  • Wine tasting on-board the Demetris Chara BBQboat BlueLagoon tours: $89
  • Local Wineries Tour with Wine Tastings: $111
  • Troodos Mountains Vino Venture: All Inclusive Full Day Wine Tour: $138
  • Private Wine Tour with Tastings and Winery Visits: $762


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paphos and Johor Bahru, we can see that Paphos is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Paphos 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 Paphos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Paphos 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 Paphos Expensive? and Is Johor Bahru Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Paphos or Johor Bahru?

Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Paphos. When comparing the sizes of Paphos 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.