Which place is cheaper, Madrid 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 Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Madrid? 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 Madrid?
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.
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.
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Johor Bahru Prices
Malaysia PricesMadrid Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohor Bahru $67Madrid $187
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $67, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $187. 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 Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohor Bahru $42Madrid $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohor Bahru $84Madrid $180
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Madrid? 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 Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johor Bahru $13Madrid $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuantan Transfer [Car]: $285
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Genting Highlands Transfer [Car]: $253
- °Sit Back & Relax - JB to Malacca MPV Transfer: $242
- Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $212
- LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $190
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Penang Island Transfer [Van]: $158
- Johor Hotels to Malacca Hotels (Door to Door) Transfer: $143
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $137
- Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $125
- Universal Studios Singapore Tickets with Round-trip Transfers: $117
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $106
- Johor Bahru City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- MAD Airport Private Transfer to/from Madrid City Center: $23
- Private transfer departure from City Centre to Madrid Airport: $29
- Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Transfer: $43
- Private Transfers Madrid Airport to Central Madrid: $51
- Private Transfer from Novelda to Alicante–Elche (ALC) Airport: $63
- Private Transfer from San Vicente del Raspeig to Alicante–Elche (ALC) Airport: $63
- Private Transfer Madrid Barajas Airport to Madrid: $65
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid To Madrid Airport: $67
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid: $68
- Private Transfer from Madrid Hotels to Madrid Airport: $81
- Private Transfer from Madrid Airport to Madrid Hotels: $81
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Car: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid 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 $16Madrid $68
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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Coffee$2.32
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Ice Cream$3.47
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Kebabs (for 2)$18
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Croissant$1.74
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Lunch at Airport (for 2)$18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine: $69
- Madrid : Paella and Churros cooking class, ham and wines tasting: $77
- Small-Group Food Tour with Tapas, Wine & Vermouth: $88
- Madrid Food Tour: Best Tapas, Churros & Market Sights by FLT: $89
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars: $94
- The Best Flamenco in Madrid Show with Dinner and Drink: $98
- Madrid Tapas & Paella Cooking Experience with Local Market Visit: $113
- Madrid Local Tapas & History Tour with Dinner: $113
- Flamenco night Show and Dinner in Madrid: $125
- Literary Quarter Tour and Paella Cooking Class in Madrid: $125
- Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with Bottomless Wine Pairing: $141
- Half-Day Spanish Local House Dinner Experience in Madrid: $142
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johor Bahru $8.14Madrid $38
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: $150
- Adventure Cove WaterPark Sentosa Island Singpore: $34
- Adventure Cove Waterpark Tickets: $49
- Adventure Waterpark Ticket Desaru Coast: $19
- Causeway Tour: $20
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.60
- 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
- Johor Day Tour - Ostrich Farm, Beach, Waterfall, Fireflies [Car]: $281
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Dark Side of Madrid Ghosts Executions and Murders Walking Tour: $2.47
- Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park: $3.55
- Madrid Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.93
- Madrid Historical Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.93
- Madrid Old Town Self Guided Tour with Mobile App: $5.99
- Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour: $7.35
- Madrid Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Surreal Adventure Game: $8.30
- Madrid Essential : Self-Guided Tour created by local Official Guide: $8.31
- Museo Lazaro Galdiano Admission Ticket in Madrid: $9.06
- Manzanares River’s Story: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Madrid: $9.99
- Madrid City Tour Self guided Audio Tour on Your Phone: $12
- A local's A self-guided audio tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohor Bahru $5.31Madrid $22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
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Beer$5.79
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Drinks and Tapas (for 2)$15
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Top Pub Crawl Madrid & Party: $12
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Madrid Pub Crawl: VIP Entry & Shots, Games (Kapital, Fitz, Shoko): $14
- Spanish Wine Tasting Overlooking Parque del Oeste: $26
- Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $30
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $55
- Madrid Royal Palace Small Group Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $70
- Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience: $77
- Spanish Wine Tasting : $90
- Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid: $102
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Madrid, we can see that Madrid 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 Madrid is in Europe, 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid 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 Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Madrid, 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.