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

Should you visit Saaremaa or Johor Bahru?

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

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

Saaremaa

Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and it has a unique and rural atmosphere that makes it an interesting place to visit. Saaremaa has remained rural and frozen in time due to its isolated location, particularly during Soviet occupation when it was used as a military base. The island still has working windmills, hand placed stone walls, and old stone churches that feel like you've stepped back in time.

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 from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia.


Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru or Saaremaa?

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 Saaremaa is €128, 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 Saaremaa and Johor Bahru in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Saaremaa 36
    Johor Bahru 34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Saaremaa 72
    Johor Bahru 68
Compare Hotels in Saaremaa and Johor Bahru

Looking for a hotel in Saaremaa 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 Saaremaa


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: Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Saaremaa 47
    Johor Bahru 11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saaremaa

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Saaremaa:


  • Rental Car and Gas for a Day
    34

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Saaremaa or Johor Bahru?

Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru and Saaremaa 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
    Saaremaa 63
    Johor Bahru 13
Typical Food Prices in Saaremaa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Saaremaa:


  • Salmon
    1.28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Saaremaa 21
    Johor Bahru 6.63

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Saaremaa 11
    Johor Bahru 4.32


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


Which is Bigger, Saaremaa or Johor Bahru?

Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Saaremaa. When comparing the sizes of Saaremaa 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.