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

Should you visit Johor Bahru or Yaeyama Islands?

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

Should I visit Johor Bahru or Yaeyama Islands? 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 Yaeyama Islands?

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.

Yaeyama Islands

The Yaeyama Islands is a cluster of islands located in the southwestern part of Japan, close to Taiwan. There are nine different islands, varying from small islets to large holiday resort islands. The Yaeyama Islands are one of the most popular destination in Japan due to their beautiful beaches and underwater ruins. Yaeyama is also known for having their own language and writing system. For the most part, everyone on the Islands speak Japanese, but you'll often find the Yaeyama writing on T-shirts in souvenir shops or scattered around Yaeyama.

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 Tokyo, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo.


Which place is cheaper, Yaeyama Islands 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 Yaeyama Islands is $93. 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 Yaeyama Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Johor Bahru $36
    Yaeyama Islands $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Johor Bahru $72
    Yaeyama Islands $108
Compare Hotels in Johor Bahru and Yaeyama Islands

Looking for a hotel in Johor Bahru or Yaeyama Islands? 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 Yaeyama Islands


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 Yaeyama Islands Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Johor Bahru $11
    Yaeyama Islands $19

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Johor Bahru or Yaeyama Islands?

Prices for flights to both Yaeyama Islands 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
    Yaeyama Islands $28

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Johor Bahru $6.89
    Yaeyama Islands $8.62

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Johor Bahru $4.49
    Yaeyama Islands $6.28


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


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