Johor Bahru: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Mixed · 62Johor Bahru gets mostly cheap-food, cheap-fuel and cross-border-convenience praise from Singaporeans and long-term expats, but its tourist appeal is thin and commenters flag cost, crime and policy uncertainty.
- low cost of living
- cheap food
- cheap fuel
- proximity to Singapore
- shopping and dining
- quieter residential areas
- beaches and islands nearby
- limited things to do
- crime concerns
- unclear MM2H property rules
- weak tourism promotion
- cross-border hassle
- Good for cheap living and eating, weaker as a sightseeing destination
- Retirement and remote work appeal mainly to Singaporeans priced out at home
- Long-term residents still find it comfortable after years
- Check visa and property rules carefully before committing
- Islands off Mersing are underrated for peace and quiet
Read from 3 videos, 26 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
🇲🇾| Johor Bahru Is Maybe NOT So TOURIST FRIENDLY| Street Interviews In Malaysia
Chai Travel · 40K views · 2024
What viewers said
“Years ago, and maybe still today, Singapore Customs would check your automobile gas tank when you leav; your tank would need to be 3/4 full. DOes anyone know, is it the same rule for motorbikes?”
♥ 1 likes
“I like how the man said less expensive rather than cheap”
♥ 2 likes
“Johor is like Thailand for Singaporeans in a way. It's inexpensive and has lots of good food.😅😂😂”
♥ 11 likes
“Certainly a great place for Singaporeans to visit for a way less expensive meal than they would be used to paying for at home. Also an ideal opportunity to fill up the petrol tank and save a motza. Nice video Chai. Certainly enjoyed the las”
♥ 9 likes
“I live in Johor Bahru, but I haven’t been to Johor Bahru city center for many years. You can go to mount austin, sutera utama, bukit indah, eco palladium to get closer to the daily life of Johor Bahru people.”
♥ 10 likes
“Most people visit legoland and tioman island.”
♥ 5 likes
“Being polite and giving facts....”
♥ 2 likes
“I think the johor tourism board need to hype up the islands off Mersing…. The view are stunning n it is Where ppl could find peace n tranquility”
♥ 6 likes
“There not a river across Singapore but it is a straits of Johore sea. Johore have a lot of nice place to visit. Have a beautiful island, beach, shopping and food paradise.”
♥ 6 likes
“In essence JB is where Singaporeans shop and dine. Gasoline in Malaysia is the second cheapest in Southeast Asia. Which is why both Singaporeans and Thai's buy and often even smuggle gasoline from Malaysia 😂”
♥ 19 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-07; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.