Which place is cheaper, Gold Coast or Johor Bahru?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Johor Bahru or Gold Coast?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Gold Coast? 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 Gold Coast?
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.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia, and The Best Photography Tours in Australia.
-
Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesGold Coast Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $64Gold Coast $119
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $64, while the average daily cost in Gold Coast is $119. 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 Gold Coast in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $40Gold Coast $55
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $80Gold Coast $110
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Gold Coast
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Gold Coast? 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: Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Gold Coast $23
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $21
- Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport: Shared Transfer Sydney CBD: $22
- OOL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $42
- Private Transfer Gold Coast Airport OOL to City Centre/Brisbane: $48
- Private Transfer from Gold Coast Airport - Surfers Paradise: $50
- Mt Tamborine Shuttle Service - Gold Coast Return Transfer: $66
- Chill Out at Byron Bay Bus Transfer: $72
- Gold Coast to Byron Bay scenic One Way Transfer: $81
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $108
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $108
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast by Business Car: $113
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Gold Coast?
Prices for flights to both Gold Coast 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 dayJohor Bahru $16Gold Coast $47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gold Coast
For Gold Coast, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Brisbane/Sunset, Dinner, Stars/Premium Telescope: $79
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $79
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $87
- Gold Coast Private Sunset Sailing Charter w/ dinner & drinks: $310
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $7.81Gold Coast $19
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
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Spring Brook National Park Driving Tour with an APP: $15
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Midday River and Canal Cruise: $15
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Morning River and Canal Cruise: $21
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing City Lights Cruise: $21
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $22
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $23
- Surfers Paradise: Cruise, HOTA Gallery Entry, & Dining Pass: $26
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Sunset River Cruise: $29
- Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Cruise: $30
- Surfers Paradise: IceBar Entry Ticket and Drink: $32
- Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $38
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.09Gold Coast $5.23
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Granddad Jack's Distillery Gin Tasting & Talk: $43
- Queensland Distillery Tour: $76
- Craft Distillery and Brewery Tour on Gold Coast: $77
- Sirromet Wine Tasting and Blending Workshop for 2: $84
- Wine, Distillery & Rainforest Day Tour: $151
- Private Bespoke Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour: $161
- Tamborine Mountain Wine Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $165
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $167
- Luxury Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
- Gold Coast and Craft Brewery VIP Tour from Brisbane: $959
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Gold Coast, we can see that Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Gold Coast?
Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 52% larger than the population of Gold Coast. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Gold Coast, 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.