Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru or Athens?
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 Athens or Johor Bahru?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Johor Bahru. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Johor Bahru?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
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 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia.
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Athens Prices
Greece PricesJohor Bahru Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €154Johor Bahru €57
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Johor Bahru is €57. 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 Athens and Johor Bahru in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Johor Bahru €36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Johor Bahru €72
Compare Hotels in Athens and Johor Bahru
Looking for a hotel in Athens 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.
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: Athens Hotel Prices and Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Johor Bahru €11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Piraeus Port To Athens City Center Private Arrival Transfer: $25
- Athens Hotels to Piraeus Port Private Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City Center: $27
- Athens Airport Private Transfer to Piraeus Port with Meet & Greet: $27
- Piraeus Port Private Transfer to Athens Airport with Meet & Greet: $27
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City: $28
- Piraeus Port to Athens City Private Transfer with Meet & Greet: $28
- Private Transfer From Athens to Piraeus Port: $29
- Piraeus Port to and from Athens Airport Private Transfer: $29
- Departure Transfer from Athens City to Piraeus Port: $29
- Athens Airport to and from Rafina or Lavrio Port Private Transfer: $29
- Santorini Hotel/Port & Airport Transfers: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuantan Transfer [Car]: $282
- Johor Bharu to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $275
- Private Transfer from Johor Bahru city to Malacca Cruise Port: $247
- °Sit Back & Relax - JB to Malacca MPV Transfer: $240
- Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $210
- LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $188
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Penang Island Transfer [Van]: $157
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $136
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $125
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $122
- Universal Studios Singapore Tickets with Round-trip Transfers: $116
- Johor Bahru City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Johor Bahru?
Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru and Athens 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 dayAthens €64Johor Bahru €14
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Athens, Greek food tour including market visit: $65
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $69
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $76
- Athens Street Food Tour: Taste the best street food: $80
- Sunset Tour to Temple of Poseidon with Dinner Stop from Athens: $81
- Athens Walking Food Tour with Visit to Varvakios Central Market: $81
- Athens at Night Enchanting Walking Tour and Dinner Delights: $82
- Athens Food Tour: Flavors of Asia Minor (private group): $82
- Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $82
- Cook Like a Greek in Athens Hands On Cooking Class with Wine: $84
- Around Greece in 5 Dishes: Dinner, Theater & Music: $85
- Feast on LGBTQ+ Walking Food Tour: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Johor Bahru €6.97
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Athens Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.98
- A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- Athens Interactive City Tour: $8.22
- Athens Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $8.97
- Self-Guided Greece Grand Tour with Audio Guide: $9.39
- Athens Walking Tour with Audio Guide on Your Smartphone: $12
- Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Corinth Tour: $12
- Traditional Greek Food: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Athens: $12
- Ferry Boat Ticket to/from Methana: $13
- Ferry Boat Ticket to/from Aegina Island: $14
- Athens Maria Callas Museum Admission Ticket: $14
Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:
- Adventure Cove WaterPark Sentosa Island Singpore: $34
- Adventure Cove Waterpark Tickets: $49
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Admission Ticket in Johor: $29
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Tickets: $39
- Causeway Tour: $20
- DaVinci & The Wheel of Time - Cinematic Walkthrough VR Experience: $19
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.53
- Harry Potter Visions of Magic Singapore Entry Ticket with Voucher: $74
- HydroDash Singapore Ticket: $45
- Johor Bahru : Seadoo JetSki 30mins Self Ride Tour (Double): $86
- Johor Bahru : Seadoo JetSki 30mins Self Ride Tour(Single): $62
- Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Johor Bahru €4.55
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Greek Honey Tasting Experience at our Old Distillery: $13
- Athens Party Pub Crawl w/ 1-hour Open Bar & VIP Nightclub Access: $21
- Athens Exclusive Hellenic Wine Tasting Experience at Brettos: $37
- Greek Wine Tasting and Pairing in Chalandri: $47
- Noble Greeks Acropolis Wine Tasting with Private Sommelier: $70
- Athens Olive oil Honey and Wine Tasting with Snacks Experience: $76
- Athens Small-Group Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $106
- 3-Hour Shared Greek Wine Tasting: $106
- Wine tasting tour of Athens Greece: $124
- Athens Wine Tour: Wine museum and Wine Tasting with Food Pairings: $129
- Athens Olive Oil, Raki and Wine Tasting: $129
- Santorini Wine Tasting Journey: $147
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Johor Bahru, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens 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 Athens Expensive? and Is Johor Bahru Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Johor Bahru?
Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 10% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens 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.
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.