Should you visit Johor Bahru or Porto?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Johor Bahru or Porto? 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 Porto?
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.
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal.
Which place is cheaper, Porto 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.
The average daily cost (per person) in Johor Bahru is $68, while the average daily cost in Porto is $185. 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 Porto in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Porto? 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
Porto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
-
Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuantan Transfer [Car]:
$282
-
Private Transfer from Johor Bahru city to Malacca Cruise Port:
$248
-
Sit Back & Relax - JB to Malacca MPV Transfer:
$228
-
Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer):
$209
-
LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur:
$189
-
Private Transfer from Legoland (Malaysia) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN):
$162
-
Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Malacca Transfer [Car]:
$160
-
Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL):
$137
-
Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer:
$125
-
Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer:
$125
-
Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]:
$122
-
Universal Studios Singapore Tickets with Round-trip Transfers:
$116
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station:
$12
-
Oporto Airport: Private Arrival Transfer to Porto city hotels:
$17
-
Private Departure Transfer: Porto city Hotels to Oporto Airport:
$17
-
Private airport transfers from Porto to various cities.:
$18
-
Oporto Airport Private Arrival Transfer:
$18
-
Oporto Airport Private Transfer to Gaia:
$19
-
Gaia Private Transfer to Oporto Airport:
$19
-
Porto Private Airport Arrival Transfer:
$20
-
Transfer:Porto City to Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport(OPO):
$22
-
Porto Private Transfer to Gaia:
$24
-
Porto Airport Transfer:
$24
-
Private Airport Transfer to Porto:
$24
Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Porto?
Prices for flights to both Porto 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 $17
Porto $73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Sé do Porto):
$41
-
Vegan Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Port Wine:
$41
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Lapa):
$41
-
Taste of the Ocean Authentic Porto Seafood Tour:
$83
-
Authentic Porto Small Group Food Tour with Local Tastings:
$87
-
Aveiro Private Cooking Experience (for vacation rental guests):
$88
-
Small Group Porto Food Tour Traditional Taverns and Local Dishes:
$88
-
Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto by Taste Porto (since 2013):
$88
-
Authentic Porto Food Tour + Traditional Restaurant Stop:
$88
-
Porto Food Tour:
$88
-
Shopping, cooking and eating together at my home in Porto:
$88
-
Private Walking Food Tour with Tastings:
$94
Entertainment
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
-
Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park:
$6.57
-
Harry Potter Visions of Magic Singapore Entry Ticket with Voucher:
$74
-
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]:
$277
-
Johor Day Tour - Southernmost Tip, Eco Farm, Go Kart [Car]:
$269
-
Johor: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Entry Ticket:
$21
-
JungleWalla Desaru Mangrove Afterdark | Firefly Cruise Tour:
$259
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
-
Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City:
$1.18
-
The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center:
$3.53
-
Porto Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$3.53
-
Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto:
$3.53
-
Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia:
$3.54
-
Porto's #1 Walking Tour:
$3.54
-
Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira:
$3.54
-
Porto Revealed The Must Do Walking Tour:
$3.54
-
Porto (Gaia) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour:
$4.49
-
Porto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour:
$4.49
-
TOP Aveiro : Private Guided Tour with your mobile:
$5.90
-
Porto Self Guided Audio Experience:
$6.00
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
-
Porto Pub Crawl With Unlimited Beer:
$21
-
Porto:Pub Crawl 4Bars,8Drinks,Games & VIP Club Entry:
$21
-
Chocolate and Wine Tasting Activity in Matosinhos Portugal:
$25
-
Poças Guided Visit and Wine Tasting of 3 Port Wines:
$27
-
Poças Guided Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata:
$27
-
Poças Guided Visit and Wine Tasting of 2 DOC Douro & 1 Port Wine:
$27
-
Premium wine tasting at Quinta das Arcas:
$28
-
Classic Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR:
$29
-
Cellar Tour, Port Wine Tasting & Fado Show at Fonseca:
$29
-
Taylor's Port Cellars Visit & Port Wine Tasting:
$29
-
Porto Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour with Wine tasting & Night tour:
$32
-
Authentic Oporto Walking Tour with Wine Tasting:
$33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johor Bahru and Porto, we can see that Porto 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 Porto 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto 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 Porto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Porto?
Johor Bahru has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Porto. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Porto, 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.
Related Articles for Johor Bahru
Related Articles for Porto