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

Should you visit Hanoi or Johor Bahru?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Johor Bahru can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Hanoi or Johor Bahru?

Hanoi

Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.

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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.


Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru or Hanoi?

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 Hanoi is $58, while the average daily cost in Johor Bahru is $66. 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 Hanoi and Johor Bahru in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hanoi $25
    Johor Bahru $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hanoi $50
    Johor Bahru $82
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Johor Bahru

Looking for a hotel in Hanoi 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 Hanoi


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: Hanoi Hotel Prices and Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hanoi $6.68
    Johor Bahru $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:


  • Taxi to Bus Station
    $1.16
  • Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)
    $3.10
  • Local Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.39
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.32
  • Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)
    $0.77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:

  • Private Transfer from Noi Bai Airport to your Hotel: $7.40
  • Private Transfer: Hanoi Airport - Sapa - Halong - Ninh Binh: $7.90
  • Hanoi Private Departure Transfer: City Center Hotel to Airport: $8.18
  • Noi Bai Airport Transfer Service: $8.54
  • HAN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $9.62
  • Hanoi Airport Departure Shared Transfer: $10
  • Bus Transfer Hanoi to Halong Bay and Vice Versa: $11
  • Hanoi Hotels to Noi Bai Airport (Private Transfers): $11
  • Private car transfer from Hanoi Airport to Hotels: $12
  • Noi Bai Airport transfer to Hanoi Hotel & Vice versa: $12
  • Hanoi Hotel transfer to Noi Bai Airport & Vice Versa_Private Car: $12
  • Private Transfer from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport (HAN) to Hanoi Port: $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:

  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $122
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Transfer [Van]: $87
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur Transfer [Car]: $214
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Malacca Transfer [Car]: $160
  • Johor Bahru City to Kuala Lumpur City 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: $125
  • Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $103
  • Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $125
  • Johor Bahru to Mersing jetty Private Transfer: $95
  • Johor Bharu to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $275
  • LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $189

Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Johor Bahru?

Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru and Hanoi 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
    Hanoi $23
    Johor Bahru $16
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:


  • High End Dinner (for Two)
    $11
  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $4.26
  • Bowl of Pho
    $0.77
  • Italian Dinner (for Food)
    $6.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi

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

  • Private Sapa Cooking Class With Ethnic Minorities Chef From Sapa: $1.91
  • Private Hanoi Old Quarter Street Food Tour with Student Guide: $1.91
  • Private Hanoi Cycling Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By Bike: $1.91
  • (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR: $5.13
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with egg coffee making: $20
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $20
  • Hanoi local street food tour: $20
  • Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $21
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour: Hidden Local Eats & Full Meal Experience: $21
  • Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $23
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $23
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johor Bahru

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

  • Singapore: Christmas Dinner Cruise with 7 Course XMAS Menu: $289

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hanoi $8.24
    Johor Bahru $8.04
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi

Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Puppet Theater
    $1.55
  • The Hanoi Hilton Entrance
    $1.55
  • National History Museum
    $1.55
  • Puppet Theater Ticket
    $2.71

Tours and Activities in Hanoi

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

  • Hanoi Old Quarter Customized City Sightseeing Private Tour: $1.91
  • Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Adventure with Easy Rider, Round-Trip Bus: $1.91
  • Hanoi City Cycling Tour: West Lake, Old Quarter & Cultural Sights: $1.91
  • 2-4 Day Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour with Easy Rider, Sleeper Bus: $1.91
  • Hanoi City Private Tour With Street Food Experience & Aquarium: $1.91
  • From Sapa Trek, Cat Cat Village & Fansipan Summit Tour: $1.91
  • Private Hanoi City Sightseeing Shore Excursion From Halong Port: $1.91
  • Hanoi Highlights: History, Heritage & Egg Coffee Experience Tour: $1.91
  • 2-Day Ninh Binh Adventure: Trang An, Tam Coc, Hoa Lu & Mua Cave: $1.91
  • Hanoi Highlights & Shopping Shore Excursion Tour from Halong Port: $1.91
  • Ninh Binh Tràng An Boat Trip, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Mua Cave Tour: $1.91
  • Full-Day Mai Chau Valley Tour from Hanoi with Cycling, Culture: $1.91

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: $6.58
  • Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $11
  • Singapore: Wings of Time Show Entry Ticket: $17
  • Malaysia: Johor Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Entry Ticket: $18
  • Adventure Waterpark Ticket Desaru Coast: $19
  • DaVinci & The Wheel of Time - Cinematic Walkthrough VR Experience: $19
  • Johor: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Entry Ticket: $21
  • Singapore Sentosa Cable Car Sky Pass E-Tickets: $21
  • Wings of Time Fireworks Symphony Tickets: $23
  • Legoland Malaysia Admission Ticket (All Rides & Attractions): $24
  • Legoland Malaysia Theme Park E-Tickets: $25
  • Malaysia : LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Entry Ticket: $26

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hanoi $7.46
    Johor Bahru $5.25

Sample the Local Flavors in Hanoi

Also in Hanoi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Hanoi Night Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Free Shots: $45


When comparing the travel costs between Hanoi and Johor Bahru, we can see that Johor Bahru is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hanoi Expensive? and Is Johor Bahru Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Johor Bahru?

Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 78% larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi 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.