Which place is cheaper, Kuala Lumpur 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.
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Should you visit Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur? 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 Kuala Lumpur?
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.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, often referred to as KL, is the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia. It is also the largest city in the country, having grown out of a small Chinese mining village. Today Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of the country of Malaysia. The population is split between the Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures which you can see reflected in the city's neighborhoods, cuisine, and entertainment. It's also a fairly affordable city by global standards, even if you're looking for the comforts of a five star hotel or a luxury restaurant. Prices are almost always a fraction of what you would pay in Europe or the United States.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia.
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Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesKuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $65Kuala Lumpur $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $65, while the average daily cost in Kuala Lumpur is $84. 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 Kuala Lumpur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $41Kuala Lumpur $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $82Kuala Lumpur $84
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur? 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 and Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Kuala Lumpur $7.33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- ~Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore Van Transfer: $38
- ~Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore MPV Transfer: $99
- Universal Studios Singapore Tickets with Round-trip Transfers: $115
- Singapore Universal Studio with Optional One Way Transfer: $100
- Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $208
- Private Transfer from Legoland (Malaysia) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN): $160
- Private Transfer from Johor Bahru city to Malacca Cruise Port: $246
- Private Transfer from Johor Bahru City Center to Singapore Hotels: $101
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $134
- Malaysia：Senai International Airport（JHB）One-Way Transfer: $80
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $125
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $103
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.63
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Metro Ride (for Two)$0.77
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Short Taxi Ride$3.63
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Taxi From Airport$22
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Bus from Airport$1.93
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Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.90
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Train to Airport$1.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer KLIA1/KLIA2: $13
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) Private Transfer: $15
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $17
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $17
- Private: Kuala Lumpur Departure Transfer: $17
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park to Kuala Lumpur Hotels Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer (1-way): $17
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer to City Hotels: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotel to Airport Transfer: $18
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer: $18
- Kuala Lumpur City to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Transfer: $18
- Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur?
Prices for flights to both Kuala Lumpur 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
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Food Meals for one dayJohor Bahru $16Kuala Lumpur $29
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$9.67
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Roti Bread$0.24
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Food Court Lunch$3.48
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Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$5.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- From Batu Caves Night Tour + Indian Set Dinner: $28
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $41
- Kuala Selangor Fireflies & Blue Tears Guided Tour w Dinner (SIC): $50
- Sambal Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $52
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 12+ Authentic Dishes & Local Secrets: $54
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Malaysia Cooking Class With Local (Hands-On!): $60
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $60
- 'Kelip Kelip' Fireflies & Batu Caves Tour include Seafood Dinner & Boat Ride: $65
- Firefly Tour en-route Batu Caves Include Dinner + Boat-Ride: $65
- Kuala Lumpur Best Food Tour With A Guide: $65
- Private Kuala Lumpur Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $7.94Kuala Lumpur $15
Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:
- *15 Hrs Melaka Escorted Van Tour from Johor Bahru w' Tour Guide: $116
- Adventure Cove WaterPark Sentosa Island Singpore optional ticket: $33
- Adventure Cove Waterpark Admission Ticket Singapore: $45
- DaVinci & The Wheel of Time - Cinematic Walkthrough VR Experience: $19
- Dino Rescue Squad - Cinematic Walkthrough VR Experience: $19
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.45
- Harry Potter Visions of Magic Singapore Entry Ticket with Voucher: $73
- 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
- Johor Day Tour - Ostrich Farm, Beach, Waterfall, Fireflies [Car]: $276
- Johor Day Tour - Southernmost Tip, Eco Farm, Go Kart [Car]: $268
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
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KL Tower Admission (for Two)$11
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Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.21
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sunway Lagoon Ticket: $3.73
- Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park Ticket with Unlimited Rides: $5.50
- Urban Museum at Toffee Raja Chulan Admission Ticket: $6.48
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass: $7.41
- Kuala Lumpur Suburbs Batu Caves Half-Day Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $8.00
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day City Guided Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $8.00
- Kuala Lumpur at Your Own Pace: The Complete Self-Guided Tour: $8.10
- KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.65
- Malaysia: KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $9.49
- Museum Of Illusions Standard Admission Ticket: $9.88
- Genting Highlands Premium Outlets Cable Car Ticket: $9.99
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.18Kuala Lumpur $6.69
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, we can see that Kuala Lumpur is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Kuala Lumpur would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kuala Lumpur 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 Kuala Lumpur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur has a larger population, and is about 81% larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, 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.