DELICIOUS local coffee, cheaper groceries and value-added servi\u00adces are some of the things that keep Singaporeans returning to Johor Baru.<\/p>\n
However, a quick hop across the Causeway is not just about stretching their dollar \u2013 some of them told StarMetro that Johor Baru is a great place for precious \u201cme-time\u201d.<\/p>\n
Singaporean Muhammad Rafig Irwan Sahh Sahhiran, 30, said crossing into Johor Baru allowed him to stretch his legs and get an immediate change in scenery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy taking day trips once a week to Johor Baru on my motorcycle to look for good food.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes, I extend my ride to Desaru or Melaka for two to three days.<\/p>\n
\u201cMalaysia has vast open spaces compared to Singapore, so I enjoy riding here to explore the different landscapes,\u201d said the audiovisual technician.<\/p>\n
In Johor Baru, he has a routine \u2013 a motorbike wash at Taman Maju Jaya, followed by a meal at his favourite eatery.<\/p>\n
The wash, which includes restoring black plastic surfaces, costs him RM27.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Singapore, a basic wash ranges from S$25 (RM76.90) to S$30 (RM92.20), with plastic restoration charged separately. The savings are quite significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Muhammad Rafig said he tended to avoid packed malls, preferring neighbourhood eateries.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my favourite eateries serves Malay and Western fusion dishes such as spaghetti masak lemak cili api, which was a recommendation from my Malaysian friend.<\/p>\n \u201cI have introduced the place to my friends and family, and they all love it too.\u201d<\/p>\n For finance executive Christina Zhang, 50, Johor Baru is synonymous with affordable self-pampering.<\/p>\n She and her husband usually take a weekday off to drive across the Causeway once or twice a month, starting the day with dim sum before heading to a popular mall in the city.<\/p>\n \u201cI recently coloured my hair and had treatment while my husband enjoyed a massage session at the mall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe usually spend about RM500 to RM600 on meals and services per trip, which is bang for our buck.<\/p>\n \u201cI prefer getting my hair done in Johor Baru because of the value for money and comfortable environment,\u201d said Zhang, adding that they typically have a meal before heading back to Singapore ahead of the evening jam.<\/p>\n A Singaporean retiree, who wanted to be known only as Wong, 70, said he would often make the journey across the Causeway with his friends.<\/p>\n \u201cI am on my third trip here in a month.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cheap and delicious Hainanese coffee and toast served in Johor Baru kopitiam outlets are enough to keep me coming back.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a difference in the taste and atmosphere compared to Singapore.<\/p>\n \u201cThe coffee and food are tastier in Johor Baru and of course, cheaper,\u201d he said, adding that he would usually take the public bus across the Causeway.<\/p>\n On his last visit, Wong said he bought an electronic gadget at a fraction of the price it would have cost him in Singapore.<\/p>\n He also made a stop at a hypermarket where he and his friends stocked up on local coffee powder.<\/p>\n Singaporean public sector offi\u00adcer N. Nila, 36, also crosses the border once or twice a month.<\/p>\n \u201cMy husband and I enjoy food hunting, especially for Indian and vegetarian fare.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is so much to explore, as many of such restaurants have opened in Johor Baru in recent years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The couple, who usually drive to Johor Baru, would also slot in a massage session or some shopping for clothes before heading home.<\/p>\n Nila added that they would sometimes check in at a hotel in the city for a quick and affordable weekend holiday.<\/p>\n Business operators say the Singaporean presence is unmistakable.<\/p>\n Bridget Shen, who works at a Thai massage outlet at a shop\u00ad\u00ad\u00adping mall in the city, estimated that between 85% and 90% of its customers were Singaporeans.<\/p>\n To meet demand, the company operates six outlets within the same shopping centre, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWeekends are mostly fully booked. Couples and groups of friends or families form the bulk of the visitors.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most popular options are 90-minute and 120-minute massage packages, costing between RM100 and RM200 per session.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom what I have heard, a typical RM100 session in Johor Baru costs about S$100 (RM307.60) in Singapore,\u201d Shen said.<\/p>\n Nail technician Lew Bao Hui estimated that about 90% of her customers were Singaporeans or Malaysians who work in Singa\u00adpore.<\/p>\n She said her outlet was located in Taman Pelangi, an area frequented by Singaporeans for its array of food and beverage outlets, carwash service and petrol stations.<\/p>\n \u201cMy customers tell me it is much cheaper to get their nails done in Johor Baru, compared to Singapore.<\/p>\n \u201cThey usually spend RM180 to RM320 per person on manicures, depending on the complexity of the design.<\/p>\n \u201cMy customers said they preferred it here because they were not pressured into signing up for packa\u00adges. Here, they can just make an appoin\u00adt\u00ad\u00adment for a one-off experience without commitments,\u201d said Lew.<\/p>\n Lindy Lim, senior advertising and promotion executive at a mall in Taman Abad, said the majority of the mall\u2019s visitors were Singaporeans who combined errands in one trip.<\/p>\n She said the mall, which incorporates a hotel, positioned itself as a one-stop centre with a range of facilities including grocery store, grooming and massage services, electronics shops, snack vendors and eateries.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is common to see Singapo\u00adrean customers shopping for groceries and other items on weekdays, and they usually have luggage bags to store their shopping.<\/p>\n \u201cThis trend is on the rise as we have seen an increase in mall visitors compared to the pre-\u00adCovid-19 days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe peak period is from Friday to Monday,\u201d said Lim.<\/p>\n \u201cVisitors like to do their shopping before visiting the Monday night market for delicious local fare,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Muhammad](\"https:\/\/apicms.thestar.com.my\/uploads\/images\/2026\/03\/05\/3797827.jpg\")
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