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

Should you visit Johor Bahru or Suzhou?

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

Should I visit Johor Bahru or Suzhou? 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 Suzhou?

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.

Suzhou

Suzhou is a city in Jiangsu province famed for its beautiful gardens and traditional waterside architecture, featuring elaborate canals and bridges. Located on the Yangtze Delta, the city consists largely of waterways making Suzhou a kind of 'Venice of the Orient.' It is also a hub for scholars, artists, and skilled craftsmen.

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 Shanghai, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing.


Which place is cheaper, Suzhou 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 Suzhou is $101. 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 Suzhou in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Johor Bahru $36
    Suzhou $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Johor Bahru $72
    Suzhou $76
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Suzhou

Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Suzhou? 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 Suzhou


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
    Suzhou $57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:

  • *Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore Van Transfer: $38
  • Private Transfer from Sentosa Island to Seletar Airport (XSP): $40
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuantan Transfer [Van]: $89
  • *Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Singapore Car Transfer: $94
  • Legoland Theme Park Ticket and Transfer (SIC-Shared transfer): $97
  • Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Fraser's Hill Transfer [Van]: $99
  • Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $103
  • Legoland Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $103
  • Johor Bahru City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $105
  • 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 Suzhou

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Suzhou:

  • Nanjing Downtown hotels to Lukou Intl Airport (NKG) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Suzhou Train Station to Hotels in Suzhou: $44
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer between Tongli Water Town and Suzhou City : $58
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer between Zhouzhuang Water Town and Suzhou City: $58
  • Private Round Trip Transfer from Suzhou to Luzhi Water Town: $64
  • Shanghai Private Transfer from Suzhou with Stop-over at Zhouzhuang Water Town : $81
  • Suzhou Private Transfer to Zhouzhuang Water Town with Shanghai Drop-off Option: $84
  • Suzhou Private Transfer to Tongli Water Town with Shanghai Drop-off Option: $84
  • Shanghai Pudong International Airport Private Departure Transfer from Suzhou: $87
  • Shanghai Private Transfer from Suzhou with Stop-over at Tongli Water Town : $90
  • Hangzhou Private Transfer from Suzhou with Stop-over at Wuzhen Water Town : $143
  • Suzhou to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Local Private Transfer : $178

Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Suzhou?

Prices for flights to both Suzhou 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
    Suzhou $32

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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Suzhou

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

  • Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour With Locals: $55
  • Half-Day Private Customized Suzhou Highlights with Lunch or Dinner Option: $123
  • Private Suzhou Night Tour:Master of the Nets Garden, Ancient Canal with Dinner: $145

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Johor Bahru $6.89
    Suzhou $9.32

Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru

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

  • Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $4.30
  • Laser Battle Experience in Johor Bahru: $7.06
  • HeadRock VR Admission Ticket: $11
  • Singapore: Wings of Time Entry Ticket: $13
  • Johor: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Entry Ticket: $18
  • Sentosa: HydroDash Singapore Entry Ticket: $20
  • Experience Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $21
  • Sailing along Straits of Johor: Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $22
  • Malaysia: Legoland Entry Ticket: $22
  • Magical Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $22
  • Sentosa 4D AdventureLand Singapore: $22
  • Johor: LEGOLAND Malaysia Ticket: $23

Tours and Activities in Suzhou

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

  • Suzhou Self-Guided Tour with Private Car and Driver Service : $65
  • Zhouzhuang and Tongli Self-Guided Tour from Suzhou with Drop-off Options : $70
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Customized Tour: $71
  • Suzhou Private English Tour Guide Service: $91
  • Suzhou Private Walking Tour with Panmen Gate, City Moat and Yiyuan Garden: $101
  • 4-Hour Flexible Suzhou City Highlights Private Tour: $114
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Flexible Tour with Garden and Boat Ride Option: $125
  • Private Suzhou City Amazing Day Tour in Your Way : $127
  • 4-Hour Tongli Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Boat Ride : $127
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Tour: Humble Administrator’s Garden,Tiger Hill and Canal : $134
  • Nanjing Self-Guided Tour from Suzhou by Private Car with Drop-off Option : $137
  • Private Tour of Suzhou Museum, Humble Administrator's Garden and Pingjiang Road: $144

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Johor Bahru $4.49
    Suzhou $6.40


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


Which is Bigger, Johor Bahru or Suzhou?

Suzhou has a larger population, and is about 67% larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Johor Bahru and Suzhou, 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.