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

Should you visit Johor Bahru or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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

Should I visit Johor Bahru or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Aoraki Mount Cook?

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.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Johor Bahru?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $52, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105. 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 Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Johor Bahru $36
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Johor Bahru $72
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Johor Bahru


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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.
    Johor Bahru $11
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:

  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuantan Transfer [Car]: $266
  • Johor Bharu to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $237
  • Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $197
  • LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $177
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Malacca Transfer [Car]: $150
  • Universal Studios Singapore (Shared Transfer): $144
  • Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $125
  • Private Transfer from Senai International Airport Johor to Singapore Hotels: $125
  • Private Singapore Departure Airport Transfer from Sentosa Island to Airport: $119
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Ipoh Transfer [Van]: $115
  • Johor Hotels to Malacca Hotels (Door to Door) Transfer: $108
  • Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $108

Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook 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 day
    Johor Bahru $8.39
    Aoraki Mount Cook $26

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johor Bahru

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

  • City Lights Cruise with Buffet Dinner + Free flow Wine & Beer: $192
  • Dog Cruise with 5-Course Seated Dinner: $222
  • Sunset Sail Cruise with 5 Course Seated Dinner: $222

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Johor Bahru $6.89
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:

  • *15Hrs Kuala Lumpur Van Tour from Johor Bahru w' Tour Guide: $125
  • 4-Hour Private Luxurious Sentosa Walking Tour in Singapore: $286
  • Breakfast Cruise with International Breakfast (Buffet): $134
  • Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour, Johor Bahru (Direct Entry): $25
  • Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark Admission Ticket: $34
  • Experience Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $21
  • Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $4.30
  • Fun and Adventurous Experience at Cove Water Park : $42
  • Hassle Free Universal Studios Singapore - One-Day Ticket: $65
  • HeadRock VR Admission Ticket: $11
  • Johor Day Tour - Ostrich Farm, Beach, Waterfall, Fireflies [Car]: $261
  • Johor Tour ends in Singapore - Ostrich Farm, Waterfall, Go Kart [Car]: $298

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $54
  • Franz Josef Nature Tour: $54
  • Mt. Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (1-way) : $106
  • From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour 1 way: $120
  • Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $151
  • Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $151
  • Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $151
  • (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
  • Gold Hunting Adventures: $223
  • 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $289

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Johor Bahru $4.49
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook 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 Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, 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 Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook 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 Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.